Overtaking collision avoidance for small autonomous uncrewed aircraft using geometric keep-out zones

• Published in: Frontiers in Aerospace Engineering Vol. 2
• Main Authors: Hawes, Nathaniel C., Wilhelm, Jay P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 18.12.2023
• Subjects: autonomous collision avoidance; collision avoidance; collision detection; overtaking collision; small UAS; uncrewed aircraft systems
• ISSN: 2813-2831; 2813-2831
• DOI: 10.3389/fpace.2023.1334291

Autonomous uncrewed aircraft will require collision avoidance systems (CASs) designed with autonomy in mind as they integrate into the increasingly crowded national airspace system. Current uncrewed aircraft CASs typically require a remote pilot to execute avoidance or to provide poorly defined guidance that does not benefit autonomous systems. The Path Recovery Automated Collision Avoidance System (PRACAS) re-plans flight paths to autonomously adjust for collisions using path planners and keep-out zones (KOZs), but it does not currently detect or mitigate overtaking collisions. This work investigates the effect of geometric KOZs on overtaking scenarios for autonomous uncrewed aircraft. KOZ shapes were developed by relating relative velocities and turn rates of aircraft in overtaking scenarios and were tested using PRACAS. The operational ranges for approach heading, relative velocity, and look-ahead time were then determined. The set of KOZs that were developed prevented intruder aircraft from entering the minimum separation distance of one wingspan from the mission aircraft in overtaking scenarios with look-ahead times between 5 and 12 s, relative velocities of 2–20, and approach angles between 110° and −110° measured from the heading of the main UAS. Minimum separation was maintained for low-speed encounters with relative velocities between 1.1 and 2.0 for look-ahead times between 2 and 8 s for all approach angles. With look-ahead times ranging from 5 to 8 s, overtaking collisions of all tested approach angles and relative speeds are handled with more than twice the separation required for success, showing that the KOZs developed are feasible in possible autonomous CASs.