Description
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking feedback from industry, academia, and other government agencies to develop a strategic Communications, Navigation, Surveillance, and Security (CNS&S) roadmap for urban air mobility (UAM) operations. The CNS&S roadmap will provide a framework for guiding research, standards development, investment prioritization, and partnerships. The roadmap will focus on midterm UAM operations, specifically the CNS&S capabilities necessary for the safe introduction of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and similar air taxi aircraft. Key goals of the roadmap include identifying CNS&S capability options, research needs, and gaps, as well as identifying areas of consensus and disagreement.
Some of the key challenges and considerations for CNS&S in UAM operations include:
• Developing resilient and redundant navigation systems that can provide accurate and reliable positioning in GPS-degraded urban environments
• Ensuring cybersecurity and cyber resilience in the CNS&S systems and services
• Developing scalable and flexible architectures that can accommodate a wide range of vehicle types, altitudes, and flight rules
• Ensuring safe and efficient data exchanges between a wide range of actors, including aircraft, operators, service providers, and regulators
The CNS&S roadmap will be developed through a collaborative process, with input from industry, academia, and other government agencies. NASA will leverage its technical expertise and resources to support the development of the roadmap, and will work with other stakeholders to ensure that the roadmap is aligned with the needs and priorities of the UAM community.