Reliable Robotics and NASA complete flight tests to improve UAS safety

Reliable Robotics has been working with NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign since 2021 to on the integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems. As part of the campaign, Reliable coordinated encounters of two of its aircraft in California while data was being collected by FAA ground-based radars as well as a commercial air-to-air radar. These flights will help NASA analyse a the accuracy of surveillance radars, which will be used to develop a comprehensive safety case for DAA systems that use existing PSR data.

Brad Snelling, partner chief engineer for the AAM National Campaign at NASA, said: “We appreciate the close collaboration with the FAA and Reliable Robotics to collect meaningful data from flights to improve our collective understanding of using radar for DAA. These landmark flights will help the entire AAM industry further their understanding and future use of PSR data to enhance aviation safety.”

Making high quality PSR data available to pilots in the cockpit, along with certified alerting and guidance features, will improve situational awareness and also help to prevent mid-air collisions. Automatic Dependent-Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) technology will continue to play an important role in the safe integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) in the NAS, but doing so requires that all aircraft install and operate equipment. Secure access to the FAA’s medium and long-range PSR network will expand these safety benefits and provide accurate position data on aircraft, even for those without ADS-B.

“We believe PSR data can save lives today,” said Robert Rose, co-Founder and CEO of Reliable Robotics. “We are honoured to partner with NASA on a campaign focused on making the airspace safer for everyone.”