This paper addresses the system design and integration challenges involved in meeting the requirements for coordinated deployment of multiple re-configurable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). It will present and discuss an open standards based software architectural approach that demonstrably addresses – and simplifies these new and evolving issues. UAS developers are continuously challenged to ...

In this paper we assess the feasibility of using formal methods, and model checking in particular, for the certification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) within civil airspace. We begin by modelling a basic UAS control system in PROMELA, and verify it against a selected subset of the CAA’s Rules of the Air using the SPIN model checker. Next we build a more advanced UAS control system using th...

Unmanned aircraft systems use a variety of techniques to plan collision-free flight paths given a map of obstacles and nofly zones. However, maps are not perfect and obstacles may change over time or be detected during flight, which may invalidate paths that the aircraft is already following. Thus, dynamic in-flight replanning is required. Numerous strategies can be used for replanning, where t...

The knowledge about the spatial ecology and distribution of organisms is important for both basic and applied science. Biologging is one of the most popular methods for obtaining information about spatial distribution of animals, but requires capturing the animals and is often limited by costs and data retrieval. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have proven their efficacy for wildlife surveillan...

This work deals with data analysis issues in an aeronautics context by using a formal framework relying on activity recognition techniques which are applied to the certification and safety analysis processes of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in breakdown situations. In this paper, the behaviour of these systems is modelled, simulated and studied in case of multiple failures using a complex event pro...

The ability to fly an unmanned aircraft regularly and routinely for commercial or civilian applications, in non-segregated, airspace requires a sense and avoid capability. The Mobile aircraft Tracking System (MATS) is a Ground-Based Sense And Avoid (GBSAA) system. The MATS consists of a primary radar, an ADS-B receiver and a transponder interrogator. The Smart Skies project provided an opportun...

Sensor systems typically have not played a significant role in the aircraft conceptual design process. However, with the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the role of sensor systems on vehicle conceptual design can no longer be ignored. This issue is accentuated at smaller scales, where the sensing equipment may place significant constraints on the size, weight and power requireme...

Unmanned systems are physical devices or systems equipped with necessary data processing units, sensors, automatic control, and communications systems that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. A fully autonomous unmanned system has the ability to gain information about and navigate through an environment, to work for an extended period withou...

Unmanned Aircraft Systems are about to replace human pilots not only in dangerous, dull or tedious missions but generally where the human being is the limiting factor including size and economic issues. There is a wide range of applications for which UAVs have to be operated in non-segregated airspace in general and uncontrolled airspace in particular, regardless of civil, governmental or milit...