FAA Resources
UAS Research Reports
One-page status reports on research conducted or being conducted regarding the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS).
Aircraft Safety/Safety Risk
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Ground Collision Severity Evaluation (PDF)
Purpose: The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Ground Collision Severity Evaluation study will provide data to help inform:
- What are the severity criteria for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) collisions, such as weight, kinetic energy, etc.?
- What is the severity of a UAS collision with person or property on the ground?
- How can the design of a UAS minimize potential damage during a ground collision?
- Can we categorize the severity of a UAS collision with a person or property on the ground based on the UAS and what would those categories look like?
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airborne Collision Severity Evaluation (PDF)
Purpose: The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Airborne Collision Severity Evaluation study will provide data to help inform:
- What are the severity criteria for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) collision with an aircraft in the air?
- How can the design of a (UAS) minimize potential damage during a mid-air collision?
- Can we classify a (UAS) collision impact in a similar manner to a bird strike?
- Will a (UAS) collision affect an engine similar to bird ingestion?
- Can we categorize the severity of a (UAS) mid-air collision with an aircraft into categories based on the UAS and what would those categories look like?
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research & Development Enabling Safety Oversight of UAS in the NAS (PDF)
Purpose: Develop a web-based information system which will allow users to access, query, organize, and display Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Certificate of Authorization (COA) data.
Purpose: The research will collect UAS maintenance data from manufacturers and operators, and begin developing UAS maintenance and training requirements.
Airworthiness
Certification Test Case to Validate sUAS Industry Consensus Standards (PDF)
Purpose: The certification test case will validate small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) industry standards and support standards development and certification strategies for sUAS, necessary for their safe integration in the National Airspace System (NAS).
Command and Control
Evaluation of Communications Strategies in the Context of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations (PDF)
Purpose: Assesses communications architecture alternatives and concepts that support UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). This research will identify the most efficient UAS voice communication architecture using the NAS Voice System (NVS); and identify the impacts to Air Traffic Control (ATC) in UAS contingency operation scenarios.
Control Non-Payload Communication Testing for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PDF)
Purpose: The Control Non-Payload Communication (CNPC) flight demonstration will prove the feasibility of using a small radio in a small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) airframe that allows flexible employment of sUAS, and answers the following question: Can a radio developed based on the RTCA Minimum Operational and Performance Standards (MOPS) be practical to use for all sUAS?
Detect and Avoid
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sense and Avoid System Certification Obstacles (PDF)
Purpose: The research will determine the certification obstacles associated with equipment and systems designed to satisfy the Sense and Avoid (SAA) requirement necessary to comply with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that apply to operating and flight rules, 14 CFR Part 91, and how a UAS would comply with those rules.
Detect and Avoid Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operational Assessment: Visual Compliance (PDF)
Purpose: This research will identify how a UAS will meet the need to visually comply with regulations and Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sense and Avoid Multi-Sensor Data Fusion Strategies (PDF)
Purpose: The research will determine the best SAA system architecture for UAS, allowing UAS to detect and avoid other aircraft, which may or may not have location transponders.
Surveillance Criticality for Sense and Avoid (PDF)
Purpose: The research on Surveillance Criticality for Sense and Avoid (SAA) will:
- Determine whether the current operational or technical performance requirements for a cooperative SAA solution based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out and/or transponders should change for SAA functions
- Determine whether Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) SAA functions can be carried out by equipage standards using current surveillance equipment
Integration of ACAS-X into Sense and Avoid for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PDF)
Purpose: The research will answer the following question: What are the requirements/standards for UAS airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) to operate with other airborne CAS?
Purpose: This research will develop a limited approach to Detect and Avoid (DAA) obstacles (airborne or ground) that could enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) under specific operational limitation.
Human Factors
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Human Factors Considerations (PDF)
Purpose: The research will address human factors safety concerns that are unique to UAS, both in public use and civil operations as well as perform research that supports development of standards, regulations, and guidance for civil UAS. The four key research categories identified are function allocation, control station requirements, pilot training and certification requirements, and visual observer requirements.
Operational Integration
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Counter UAS/Airport Detection (PDF)
Purpose: This research assess the feasibility of integrating proven UAS mitigation technology with airport operations in order to detect, identify and track both the air vehicle and ground controller to explicitly identify the UAS without interference to existing airport operations.
Original content for this page gathered from: https://www.faa.gov/uas/research/reports/