Elizabeth Leigh
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has completed a series of flight tests for a sense and avoid (SAA) software onboard a Global Hawk-like Learjet aircraft as part of the Multiple Intruder Autonomous Avoidance platform led by Northrop Grumman.
Northrop said Wednesday the Defense Department’s Multiple Sensor Integrated Conflict Avoidance software is designed to help unmanned aircraft systems to detect and prevent collisions with other aircraft.
“I am pleased that [MuSICA] was able to positively execute and maintain the [Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics] SC-228 definition of ‘well-clear’ with single and multiple cooperative and non-cooperative Federal Aviation Administration-supplied aircraft,†said Paul Schaeffer, program manager for Air Borne Sense and Avoid at the Air Force.
Formed in 2013, the RTCA SC-228 definition aims to establish the minimum operational performance standards for UAS.
