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U.S. Fourth Fleet Seeks Future Watchstander AI Tool

U.S. Marine Corps Tactical Resupply Vehicle 150 (TRV) unmanned aircraft system on return from resupply mission during UNITAS LXIV Exercise in Covenas, Colombia, July 15, 2023. (Photo: U.S. Marine Corps by Lance Cpl. Christian Salazar)

As the U.S. Fourth Fleet starts practicing operationalizing unmanned systems, it is interested in ultimately getting watchstander data artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help sift through the added data coming in, an innovation officials hope will help spur more investment in the field.

Cmdr. David Edwards, Fourth Fleet Director of Technology and Innovation, told reporters during a media call on July 20 that several systems being used in the Fourth Fleet’s uncrewed system testing already have AI stems “baked in the ability to analyze imagery onboard the vehicles themselves.”

However, he said the fleet is thinking about pursuing a future AI tool as “something that we need in order to monitor all these data flows going in.”

In April, Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, revealed the Navy will build off Task Force 59’s successful testing of unmanned systems and AI by expanding similar work to the Fourth Fleet in Central and South America (Defense Daily, April 4).

Fourth Fleet began the work to operationalize unmanned and AI systems this month during the annual international UNITAS exercise.

Edwards noted they are currently using the Minotaur system to display this unmanned data.

He noted Minotaur is a “government-owned software device that provides a current operational picture. And that software is designed specifically to integrate data feeds from many different sources.”

Minotaur is also being used by Fifth Fleet with its Task Force 59 experimenting with unmanned systems and AI.

Edwards said while Minotaur is useful, “the watchstander needs an assist, in order to process and understand exactly what that data means and which data is important in which data is routine.”

Such a watchstander data tool “is something that we look to the future to build to help us understand all the data flowing in. So that the watchstander knows when it’s just a regular day in the Caribbean and when actions needs to be taken.”

Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, commander of Fourth Fleet, told reporters that on any given day his area of operations can have 700 fishing vessels operating, divided into those performing normal work, some turning their Automatic Identification System (AIS) on and off, providing fuel to drug runners, and participating in human trafficking.

“There’s some ways with AI tools, and we started doing some evaluation with this where we can identify those, and then instead of overwhelming our resources, we can use our limited resources in this area,” Aiken said.

He added that, given the risks in his AOR, AI can help them best use their limited resources to get after the challenges and actors not acting in accordance with international law.

DIU Director Doug Beck recently underscored how the Fourth Fleet effort here will help scale up the unmanned and AI development for the military overall.

“I’ll say this as a Navy guy, this is an area where the Navy is going from not always being the fastest to being one of the fastest and thinking about ways to do this,” he said.

Beck highlighted that Fourth Fleet is being leveraged “to do this at scale for maritime domain awareness, leveraging AI and sensors in order to make that happen. That’s a great example of beginning to scale these things, and we’ve got to go a lot faster and a lot bigger in terms of what that scale really means.”

He argued these kinds of larger-scale demonstrations will help spin the wheel to make it easier to spur more investment in AI and unmanned systems “in order to make that happen in a way that scales.”

Previously, Fifth Fleet and Task Force 59 leaders have said using unmanned and AI systems can help them develop a picture of what a relatively normal activity at sea in their AOR looks like, then when there are deviations, they can task different types of unmanned systems to investigate them.

Last month, Northrop Grumman unveiled the design of the new autonomous uncrewed VTOL aircraft capable of operating from Navy ships at sea. It will build the vehicle under a new contract from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office.

This article was originally published by Defense Daily, a sister publication of Avionics International. It has been edited. Read the original version here >>

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Viasat Releases New Black ICE SDR Platform for Military Users

Viasat launched Black ICE, a new family of high-performance modem solutions that enable the integration of commercial off-the-shelf and waveforms for low SWaP, secure beyond-line-of-sight data communications. (Photos: Viasat)

Viasat is launching a new family of modem solutions, the Black ICE Software Defined Radio product line. The Black ICE SDR modem solutions can be integrated with commercial off-the-shelf and custom waveforms, for secure data transmission for mission-critical operations.

Software-defined radios can tune to any frequency band and use multiple waveforms through plug-and-play software applications built to published Army standards.

Black ICE SDRs are designed to meet the needs of military users with security, flexibility, a low form factor and high-performance capabilities. They can be used on beyond line of sight communications on crewed and uncrewed platforms, as well as expeditionary command and control (C2) operations.

The Black ICE SDR product line is compatible with Inmarsat’s Elera L-band and Global Xpress networks. Inmarsat is now a Viasat company. It can be integrated into standard Global Xpress Ka-band terminals via G-MODMAN II and open platform modem manager technology to enable the addition of a special waveform service. U.S. government Global Xpress customers can also access alternative waveforms for high data rate and resiliency necessary in congested and contested environments. More complex waveforms will enter commercial service later in 2023.

“With the increasing use of beyond-line-of-sight communications as part of ISR and C2 missions, U.S. government customers require a high-performance solution that maximizes platform range and reduces signatures for land, sea, and air,” commented Matt Wissler, Viasat Government Systems CTO. “The Black ICE SDR platform provides customers with solutions that enable flexible waveform integration and allow them to securely transmit large volumes of data while meeting the SWaP requirements of these platforms.”

This article was originally published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International. It has been edited. Click here to read the original version >>

OPINION: Safeguarding the Aviation Industry from Modern Cyber Threats

Airlines have a big part to play in implementing new strategies to promote better cybersecurity because they’re the number one target. (Photo: ICAO/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

I spend a lot of time traveling internationally. So I naturally spend a lot of time on planes, and I get all the benefits of the new technological developments in the aviation industry, like in-flight Wi-Fi, quick and easy biometric identification, smart baggage tracking, and more.

Not having to clock out of my work when I’m flying is awesome. That said, I believe that these new technological developments, while improving the experience for frequent fliers like myself, may also increase the danger of cybersecurity threats in the aviation industry.

These threats have been around for a while, but they’re constantly growing and increasing. For example, ransomware attacks within the aviation supply chain have increased 600 percent in a single year. Whatever the reason, global aviation authorities and airlines alike need to step up to fill the security gap.

The Risk is Real

The most obvious reason attacks have increased is that everything is going digital. We’ve started to rely more and more on technologies that connect to the internet, and the aviation industry is doing the same thing. As a result, there are more vulnerabilities for malicious actors to exploit.

Another reason is the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software onboard planes and throughout the aviation supply chain. COTS is software that wasn’t specifically and solely built for the aviation industry but instead could function in any industry. A good example is the Microsoft 365 Office suite or commonplace database software like MongoDB, both of which are in common use in airlines’ daily operations.

These types of software can be a security issue because aviation authorities don’t have full control over the software. Vulnerability detection and patching is largely left up to the software vendor, with questionable success. For instance, I remember reading about a major American Airlines breach last year that affected over 1700 people. The attackers exploited the company’s Microsoft 365 account by way of a phishing attack that successfully obtained sensitive credentials from an employee.

The risk is actually greater with ground and airline systems than with in-flight software. That’s because in-flight systems have to undergo stringent testing and adhere to the strict guidelines laid out by DO-326A, the “Airworthiness Security Process Specification,” in the U.S. and ED-201A, the “Aeronautical Information System Security Framework GUidance” in the EU. The guidelines have been overwhelmingly successful in preventing cybercriminals from accessing avionics systems during flight. By contrast, airports, airline systems, traffic management systems, and more have frequently been targeted and remain vulnerable to attacks.

Airlines Need To Step Up

I think airlines have a big part to play in implementing new strategies to promote better cybersecurity because they’re the number one target. So I’ll offer my advice to those companies. There are a couple best practices you can follow to reduce vulnerabilities and breaches.

I recommend implementing a vulnerability disclosure program of some kind. These types of programs provide some kind of reward, whether that be a monetary reward or flight miles, etc., to independent security researchers who discover and disclose vulnerabilities in certain airline systems. If you do choose to implement such a program, you’ll need to lay out guidelines or an automated form to allow researchers to submit accurate and clear vulnerability reports.

You’ll also need to ensure that certain types of vulnerabilities are explicitly excluded from the reward. After all, you definitely don’t want researchers doing surprise vulnerability testing on in-flight systems and causing a safety problem, or launching a “test” denial-of-service attack on your website that could result in real customers not being able to schedule flights. You can see an example of a good vulnerability disclosure program implementation on the United Airlines website.

The other thing you can do is redouble your efforts in securing COTS software and teaching employees how to use it in the safest way possible. For example, the phishing attack that resulted in the American Airlines breach may not have occurred if the employee had been adequately trained to recognize such threats. Phishing attacks continue to be among the top threats facing the industry, so better training will help you prevent a decent percentage of attacks.

Neither of these recommendations is a silver bullet for aviation cybersecurity, but they represent a good start.

Cybersecurity is a Team Effort

Ultimately, even after individual airlines and airports have done all they can, there will always be threats and vulnerabilities. As attacks increase, we need to get smarter in how we address them. Airlines, manufacturers, developers, and every other part of the aviation supply chain can and must take part in efforts to protect aircraft, staff, and passengers alike from cyber threats.

Vance Hilderman

This article was provided by Vance Hilderman, the principal founder/CTO of three aviation development/certification companies including TekSci, HighRely, and AFuzion. Hilderman has trained over 31,000 engineers in over 700 aviation companies and 30+ countries. His intellectual property is in use by 70% of the world’s top 300 aviation and systems developers worldwide, and he has employed and personally presided over 500 of the world’s foremost aviation engineers on 300+ projects over the past 35 years. AFuzion’s solutions are on 90% of the aircraft developed over the past three decades.

University Lab Receives USAF Funding to Study Surface Cooling of Avionics

The ExSiTE Lab at the University of Virginia has received, over three years, U.S. Air Force grants totaling $750,000 to study cooling technology for avionics in high-altitude jets and spacecraft. (Photo: Tom Daly Photography)

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a total of $750,000 in grants to mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Patrick Hopkins’ ExSiTE Lab (Experiments and Simulations in Thermal Engineering) over the course of three years. Dr. Hopkins is a professor at the University of Virginia who is developing a solution for “on-demand surface cooling” of advanced electronics in high-altitude jets and spacecraft.

For aircraft that operate closer to Earth, the air’s density is generally high enough to keep avionics and other components cool. Hopkins explained that the Air Force and Space Force operate vehicles in the upper atmosphere or in space, and avionics will heat up because there isn’t enough air for adequate cooling. “You can’t bring a payload of coolant onboard because that’s going to increase the weight, and you lose efficiency,” he added.

(Photo: Tom Daly Photography)

The standard method for handling overheated air and space electronics is conduction—using a “cold plate” to conduct the heat towards radiators and away from the electronics, but this might not be adequate for today’s advanced electronics.

Hopkins and Scott Walton of the U.S. Navy Research Laboratory conducted an experiment a few years ago to explore the use of plasma to cool electronics quickly. Plasma has unique properties, including the fact that it chills before heating when it strikes a surface. The experiment involved firing a jet of plasma, generated from helium, at a gold-plated surface. “We could measure temperature immediately where the plasma hit, then we could see how the surface changed,” Hopkins said. “We saw the surface cool first, then it would heat up.”

The plasma jet pictured above is made from helium, resulting in a purple glow. (Photo: Tom Cogill)

They were able to precisely measure the temperature change because of the microscopic instruments that Hopkins had custom-made. The experiment showed temperature reductions of several degrees as a result of blasting an ultrathin surface layer, made up of carbon and water molecules, on the gold-plated surface. “A similar process happens when cool water evaporates off of our skin after a swim,” according to the news release from the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Now, Hopkins and collaborators are considering different versions of the design that could make it more effective for surface cooling. Sara Makarem Hoseini and Daniel Hirt, doctoral candidates involved in the ExSiTE Lab, plan to evaluate the effectiveness of gases other than helium, as well as different metals and surface coatings for the plasma jet to target.

Pictured above, doctoral candidates Sara Makarem Hoseini and Daniel Hirt observe the setup of the plasma ray. (Photo: Tom Cogill)

Hopkins, along with collaborators, published a review article titled, “Ultrafast and Nanoscale Energy Transduction Mechanisms and Coupled Thermal Transport across Interfaces” in the journal ACS Nano.

Xona Space Systems Wins $1.2M in AFWERX Funding

The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded $1.2 million in funding via AFWERX to Xona Space Systems. (Photo: Xona Space Systems)

Xona Space Systems has received $1.2 million in further AFWERX funding after demonstrating precision position, navigation, and timing (PNT) signals on its demonstration satellite, Huginn.

AFWERX is the innovation arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The funding announced Tuesday is a $1.2 million Direct to Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) contract.

The company is developing Pulsar, an independent precision LEO PNT service as an alternative to GNSS satellites. Huginn is the first commercially funded Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) PNT mission.

Xona Space Systems CEO Brian Manning said the company’s partnership with the AFRL Space Vehicles directorate and Space Force’s Space Warfighting Analysis Center will help the company integrate Pulsar into the U.S. national security space architecture.

Col. Jeremy Raley, commander of the Phillips Research Site and director of the AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate said the investment will contribute to force design analytics that consider contributing signals from multiple orbit regimes.

“Lessons from this effort will pave the way for future defense programs to successfully utilize commercial space assets for flexible and diverse satnav that is resilient to the adversarial threat,” Raley said.

This article was originally published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International. It has been edited. Click here to read the original version >>

U.S. Air Force Expands Partnership with Archer

Archer announced this week that it landed a $142 million contract for eVTOL Aircraft with the U.S. Air Force, which includes the delivery of up to six of Archer’s Midnight aircraft to the Air Force. (Photo: Archer)

In a significant advancement for both the eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) industry and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Archer Aviation Inc. has announced an expanded partnership with the U.S. Air Force, securing contracts valued up to $142 million. This development testifies to the burgeoning role of advanced aerial technology in national defense strategies and operational agility.

Archer Aviation, a leading player in the eVTOL domain, is now poised to supply the U.S. military with up to six units of its Midnight aircraft. This contract not only involves the delivery of aircraft but also encompasses data sharing regarding flight tests and certification, pilot training, and the establishment of maintenance and repair operations. This engagement will fortify U.S. national defense capabilities with novel, forward-thinking technologies.

The DoD’s recognition of Archer’s transformative eVTOL aircraft builds upon a partnership that commenced in 2021. Throughout this period, Archer has been diligently working alongside the DoD through the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program. Their collective goal has been to assess the revolutionary potential of vertical flight and eVTOL technologies for defense applications.

As Archer successfully wraps up manufacturing its first Midnight aircraft, the DoD has identified its unique features that could potentially transform military aviation. The aircraft’s vertical take-off and landing capabilities, an impressive target payload of approximately 1,000 pounds, proprietary electric powertrain system, and low noise profile could significantly enhance rapid response, operational agility, and mission effectiveness. Such technology could improve diverse mission profiles, from personnel transport and logistics support to rescue operations.

Archer’s CEO, Adam Goldstein, highlighted the commitment of the U.S. Armed Forces towards embracing this state-of-the-art technology, saying, “It’s clear that the development and commercialization of eVTOL technology continues to remain a national priority. We look forward to working closely with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force to integrate Midnight into their operational fleet with a focus on transport, logistics, and rescue operations.”

Colonel Tom Meagher of AFWERX Agility Prime underscored the pivotal role that eVTOL aircraft play in the future of aerospace. “eVTOL aircraft represent the cusp of the third revolution in aerospace, and these aircraft and their descendants will drive advances in capabilities and efficiency,” he remarked in the announcement from Archer. “Our contracts with Archer Aviation provide the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force the opportunity to play a role in ensuring from the onset, and as the technology evolves, that we unlock the many benefits these aircraft have to offer the U.S. military.”

The implications of this partnership for the eVTOL industry are extensive. By securing this significant contract, Archer solidifies the pivotal role of eVTOL technology in future military operations. The deal also affirms the industry’s commitment to improving safety and cost-effectiveness in aviation, as Archer’s Midnight aircraft promise a safer, quieter, and more economical alternative to traditional helicopters.

Archer’s efforts are also bolstered by the recent formation of the company’s Government Services Advisory Board, which comprises retired military leaders and aims to advance the consideration and implementation of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft and related technologies within U.S. government and public safety agencies.

As the industry continues to evolve, this partnership showcases how private eVTOL firms and government entities can collaborate, unlocking technological potential and paving the way for a new era in aviation.

Industry Experts Weigh In On Equity, Safety, and Efficiency in Advanced Air Mobility

A panel discussion at this week’s AAM Summit brings together industry experts who discuss the complexities, opportunities, and key challenges—including equity, safety, trust in autonomy, and global harmonization—that lie ahead in the evolution of advanced air mobility. (Photo: AUVSI)

BALTIMORE, Maryland —Delivery drones and passenger air taxis are set to take center stage in the advanced air mobility landscape. Yet, as we prepare for the next wave of advancements, pressing questions around equitable access are surfacing. At a panel discussion during the AAM Summit—presented by the FAA and AUVSI—speakers from NASA, UPS, and the Department of Transportation addressed the challenges of ensuring fair access to these emerging technologies.

Deputy Administrator at NASA, Pam Melroy; Vice President of Flight Operations and Safety at UPS, Houston Mills; and Undersecretary for Policy for the DOT, Carlos Monje, presented their insights on overcoming the equity barriers and paving the way for the widespread adoption and benefits of AAM.

In discussing what their organization is currently focused on regarding AAM, Houston Mills pointed to UPS’ partnership with Beta Technologies. In 2021, UPS announced plans to purchase electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Beta. The companies are also collaborating on eVTOL testing in the UAE after a license was granted by the UAE government in March 2023.

UPS is leveraging its expansive global logistics network to explore practical applications of advanced air mobility technology, Mills explained. “As we look at this new technology, how we integrate it into our advanced global logistics network is very important,” he commented during the panel discussion.

Carlos Monje highlighted the FAA’s proactive efforts in providing leadership and guidance on aspects critical to the scale deployment of AAM, including building vertiports, establishing National Airspace System (NAS) protocols, and vehicle and pilot certification. “The FAA has been really sprinting in this area,” he said.

Monje also underscored DOT’s role, mandated by Congress, in developing a comprehensive strategy that looks at social and technical prerequisites for industry-wide deployment, in collaboration with interagency groups.

Pam Melroy pointed out NASA’s focus on fostering technological innovation in the aeronautics industry and the agency’s role in the AAM sector. “The first A in NASA is aeronautics, and we never forget that,” she said. She emphasized NASA’s efforts in building an industry community for dialogue, understanding industry needs, and addressing hard-to-solve problems.

Melroy further highlighted the importance of foundational technologies that would bolster the whole AAM ecosystem, citing uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management, or UTM, as one of their “crown jewels.” In addition, she mentioned NASA’s work in areas like noise control and a “whole-of-government” approach to enable capabilities for their industry partners.

Colleen D’Alessandro, New England Regional Administrator for the FAA, moderated “The Future of Advanced Air Mobility” panel discussion. (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Equity can take on different meanings depending on context—for example, equity in the airspace versus equitable access to new AAM services. Carlos Monje discussed how to ensure that all of the stakeholders are talking about equity with the same understanding and are all working towards the same vision. “I think there’s a lot to learn here from previous tech that has been deployed in our transportation space,” he said, pointing to cars and trains as two examples.

Monje referenced the historical pattern of new technologies benefiting the elite before trickling down to the broader population, while often imposing negative impacts on specific communities. He advocated for intentionality to overcome this pattern and cited the technical complexities in ensuring equity in the adoption of AAM, including land use for vertiports, noise distribution, landside congestion, and workforce diversity. He also emphasized accessibility in terms of vehicle, vertiport, and payment method design, as well as competition to maintain affordable prices and high-quality services.

Pam Melroy shared her perspective on what the AAM industry and the federal government should be focused on now to enable the new sector. “It’s really critical, from a regulatory standpoint, that we allow innovation to thrive,” she said.

“At the same time, the government is responsible for the benefits to all Americans. So we have to take a very thoughtful approach to that. Achieving safe UAS integration is absolutely critical—it’s going to be the rising tide that floats all boats.”

Melroy mentioned that the industry has a responsibility to earn public trust through systems safety and engineering. She emphasized the need for lessons learned from other transportation systems to be applied in this new technological context.

Houston Mills touched on how new concepts in aviation such as third-party service providers and automation provide for—or even enhance—the level of safety of operations, as well as how new technology might enable the advancement of AAM. “One thing I’ve learned in this space is that the FAA’s mission is absolutely central, no matter what we do, as we advance with new technologies: safety and efficiency of the NAS have to remain at the forefront,” he said.

Mills remarked on the importance of making tactical and strategic recommendations for accelerating existing DOT and FAA activities. He also pointed out that there is a need for significant investments to fully realize AAM. This requires thoughtful planning and infrastructure development to ensure safety, efficiency, fuel savings, and reduced carbon emissions. Additionally, he emphasized the enormous potential of the sector to create jobs and opportunities.

The members of the panel discussion shared their thoughts on some of the main challenges in enabling the success of the AAM industry. Pam Melroy emphasized the complexity of integrating traditional aviation with uncrewed aircraft. She stated that this represents a considerable systems engineering challenge that requires equitable solutions for all stakeholders. “Trust in autonomy is important, and it has far-reaching impacts, as we’re seeing across other forms of transportation,” she added.

Carlos Monje identified the spectrum for ADS-B and VHF as a major challenge given its increasing demand and finite availability. He mentioned the role of the FCC in working towards more efficient spectrum use.

Another challenge he cited is operational resilience, particularly the ability to maintain service in poor weather conditions. “Especially if we’re talking about a distributed network of vertiports, you don’t want to put all that traffic back on the roadways at the same time—it’d be very bad for the system,” he explained. Monje also pointed out the crucial role of local governments in integrating land use planning and managing first and last-mile travel connections to support AAM operations.

Houston Mills sees harmonization as a key challenge. “The spectrum allocation becomes especially important in the realms of digital flight,” he said. “All the different users, both ground-based and air-based, are going to have to use the spectrum in order to enable an advanced technology environment for those operators.”

He underlined the importance of harmonization on local, federal, and international levels to ensure that everyone is using the same playbook. Mills also pointed out the need for standardized rules globally to facilitate the operation of AAM technologies worldwide. Finally, he noted the challenge of federal pre-emption for the FAA, indicating the necessity for a single voice in managing airspace to maintain safety and efficiency.

Regulating UAS in 2023

Trends in the state legislative sessions related to UAS include discussions about drone operations over critical infrastructure, police use, new AAM study committees, country-of-origin bans, and vertiports. (Photo: AUVSI)

BALTIMORE, Maryland — In an ever-evolving drone industry landscape, state and local legislators are grappling with creating effective and fair regulations for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). In the wake of the Federal Aviation Administration’s 2023 Fact Sheet on State and Local Regulation of UAS, we have seen a variety of responses—some fostering growth, others seemingly encroaching on federal authorities. To navigate this complex environment, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) launched Drone Prepared, a 50-state educational initiative aimed at guiding lawmakers in crafting regulations that are industry-supportive and consistent with federal oversight.

Scott Shtofman of AUVSI and Josh Turner of Wiley Rein LLP spoke with Avionics International during this week’s Drone Summit, hosted by the FAA and AUVSI. Shtofman and Turner discussed recent legislative trends including issues related to flight over critical infrastructure, police use, advanced air mobility (AAM) study committees, country of origin bans, and vertiports.

According to Scott Shtofman, Senior Manager of Government Affairs at AUVSI, there has been increased state-level interest in regulating drones and their operations over critical infrastructure. However, “I wouldn’t say that we’ve had changes in how UAS operate over critical infrastructure,” he remarked.

Section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 is a key reference, intended to establish which sites can be considered critical infrastructure and the regulations for flying over them, although there’s ongoing debate about what should be included in this definition, Shtofman noted.

He believes there will be a lot of interest from both asset owners and users in performing inspections of critical infrastructure using UAS. “There are benefits of being able to collect data using a drone and not having to shut down that piece of infrastructure,” he explained.

There is also a push to expand the definition of critical infrastructure. “Is that beyond something like petroleum refining and production plants or electric substations?” Shtofman asks.

Work is being done on drone detection and mitigation efforts, aiming to establish who has the authority to detect drone presence and act upon an imminent threat. To this end, Michael Robbins—Chief Advocacy Officer at AUVSI—is co-chairing an aviation rulemaking committee around counter-UAS.

(Photo: NUAIR)

Josh Turner from Wiley Rein LLP, a Drone Prepared partner, noted that the FAA has congressional authority and instruction to create rules under Section 2209 that define what constitutes critical infrastructure, but the process has been delayed. “Right now, states tend to set their own ideas of what constitutes critical infrastructure,” he told Avionics.

“It would be great to get some clarity around what those rules are at a national level,” he added. Uniform national understanding and regulation of what constitutes critical infrastructure, as decided by the FAA, would help to prevent confusion.

Turner also discussed legislation surrounding vertiports. States have traditionally decided where aircraft can take off and land, a role acknowledged and reinforced by the FAA’s 2023 Fact Sheet. “AUVSI has been very supportive of the idea that states have a role in figuring out how to make urban air mobility and advanced air mobility happen,” he commented.

The Drone Prepared program aims to educate local and state governments on the necessary legislative changes for successful vertiport integration into local communities.

Over the past year, there has been growing interest and successful initiatives in state and local governments around vertiports and urban air mobility. “The idea of having a vertiport in your city or in your state is really compelling,” Turner said.

(Photo: Skyports)

Privacy Concerns and Public Safety

A key goal of AUVSI is to ensure that states understand their rights to protect their citizens’ privacy—without the need for an abundance of new drone-specific rules—and that existing laws can be leveraged to do so.

Drones are just another tool, akin to a flying camera. Their use should be governed by the same privacy considerations as any other tool, Shtofman explained. “When it comes to police use of drones, it’s different than commercial use,” he said. “There are already standards in place for what’s required when they want to search something, or if you’re using the drone for surveillance purposes.”

Drones can serve as less risky and less expensive alternatives to helicopters in police operations, providing oversight and helping to de-escalate situations. Transparency is essential regarding how data collected by drones will be used, stored, and shared, which should be clearly communicated to the public to alleviate privacy concerns.

Drones are being used by around 10 to 15 departments across the country as “first responders.” “They’ll send a drone to the site of the call to get an assessment of the situation and decide what sort of response is required by officers,” according to Shtofman.

Open dialogue with communities about drone usage can help dispel fears and misconceptions. He underscored that the primary use of drones by the police is as a tool for better situational understanding and response.

(Photo: Matternet)

Country-of-Origin Bans

Legitimate security concerns exist around drones manufactured by what can be considered adversary nations, particularly around how these drones are used and the data security implemented, Turner explained.

“I don’t think that […] it makes sense to ban all drones from a certain country. But at the same time, those legitimate national security concerns do need to be addressed,” he said.

There should be policies in place to prevent the use of equipment that could potentially jeopardize national security or have adverse effects on the American public.

Shtofman noted that the country of origin considerations should not be limited to labeling drones from certain places as bad, but should also consider ways to improve the country’s supply chain resilience.

There’s a need for efforts to enhance local production capabilities to ensure that the industry isn’t hindered due to a lack of access to components either domestically or from allied nations. Building a robust, homegrown industry would ensure the availability of reliable drones and the means to produce them even in adverse situations, thereby strengthening both the commercial and defense aspects of the industry.

Developing a domestic talent pool through STEM education is essential to have the required engineers and manufacturing capabilities to meet any needs, he added.

(Photo: Zipline)

Navigating Intersecting Legal Jurisdictions

The Drone Prepared campaign launched last year has been instrumental in opening discussions with states and influencing legislation by providing clear and detailed legal interpretations and arguments, Shtofman shared. They have engaged with at least 20 states and worked with five departments of transportation to educate lawmakers about drone usage and regulation.

The FAA’s UAS Fact Sheet aligns with AUVSI’s perspective on the delineation of power, stating that the federal focus should be on aviation safety and air navigation, while states should address privacy and public protection.

Clear legislation benefits operators and manufacturers by enabling them to offer drone-related services more effectively. Shtofman explained, “Let’s protect the public, but let’s also allow for the benefit of drones and allow for certainty for operators and manufacturers to know how to prepare a state to be ready for an economic opportunity.”

Turner noted that the clarity of federal and state authority in drone regulation, as underlined by the new FAA Fact Sheet, is certainly helpful. Misconceptions and confusion about rules differing for unmanned systems have been clarified, which aligns with the FAA’s historical control over aviation safety and efficient use of airspace.

The Fact Sheet acknowledges local governments’ authority to regulate privacy, without overriding federal aviation control. The fact sheet also indirectly discourages states from designating drone highways, since constant streams of drones flying overhead are unpopular. “People would much rather have a dispersed set of routes,” said Turner, adding, “It diffuses the impact.”

Those looking for an opportunity to get involved can visit droneprepared.org, Shtofman mentioned. “We have all the legislation that we’re tracking. I think last session, we had over 200 pieces of legislation around the country that were in some way related to drones. Just knowing what’s going on where you live is a great way to start.”

Chief Sustainability Officer at CAE Talks Carbon Neutrality, Flight Simulators, & More

The Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement at CAE, Hélène V. Gagnon, offers her insights into the FY23 Global Annual Activity and Sustainability report. (Photos: CAE)

CAE, a leading flight training and simulation company, has highlighted its commitment to ESG activities, next-gen technologies, and sustainability in its recent FY23 Global Annual Activity and Sustainability report. The report showcases progress across all three of CAE’s units—Civil, Defense, and Healthcare—in 2023.

Avionics International spoke with Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) and Senior Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement, Hélène V. Gagnon, to learn more about the recently published report and her perspective on sustainability in the aviation industry.

“For civil aviation, we do a lot with pilot training and flight simulators,” she remarked. “Now, we are much more than that—through acquisitions, we offer digital solutions to help airlines with their operational support. We help them with crew management on the ground and in the air, managing catering, and optimizing their flight plan to make sure that they have the most direct route.”

“We decided to make the pledge in the fall of 2019 to become carbon neutral. Despite the collapse of aviation in March 2020, we remained true to our commitment. We started compensating our residual emissions for Scope 1, buying some renewable energy certificates for 200 sites around the world, and also compensating for the business air travel of our employees (partial Scope 3). That’s how we became carbon neutral in 2020, and we remain carbon neutral. We’re trying to raise the bar every year on everything that we do in sustainability.”

Gagnon added that offsetting carbon is often seen as the last resort, but CAE prioritized carbon offsets from the beginning. “By becoming carbon neutral, and by starting to offset right now, we’re forcing ourselves to reduce at the source much faster,” she said. “Nobody likes to see the invoice of carbon offsetting, or the invoice of renewable energy certificates for electricity. So all the leaders in the organization are now very aware of our carbon and our energy costs.”

CAE’s Mixed Reality Flight Simulator

According to the Global Annual Activity and Sustainability report, the Civil unit outperformed past results despite the pandemic’s impact on global passenger traffic. The Defense unit secured contracts including a $455 million contract for Flight School Training Support Services at Fort Novosel, Alabama, and a $110.6 million contract for the U.S. Air Force’s Initial Flight Training – Rotary Wing (IFT-R) in Dothan, Alabama.

Strategic partnerships have been key for CAE. Notable collaborations include a joint venture with AEGEAN to establish an advanced flight training center in Athens, Greece, and an exclusive 15-year agreement with the Qantas Group to develop a pilot training center in Sydney, Australia. Furthermore, CAE has expanded its network with new business aviation training centers in Savannah, Georgia, Las Vegas, Nevada, and plans for a Vienna, Austria center by 2024.

CAE also integrated Sabre’s AirCentre portfolio, leading to an increase in customer touchpoints and a reduced carbon footprint for airlines utilizing their solutions. This was accompanied by various technological advancements such as the deployment of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence-enabled Digital Solutions with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), the appointment of a Chief Technology and Product Officer, and the launch of mixed-reality training solutions.

Despite geopolitical shifts, CAE’s Defense & Security sector, leveraging commercial aviation innovations, achieved a $2.0 billion order intake in FY23 and is poised for future growth. The company also continues to prioritize sustainability, becoming Canada’s first carbon-neutral aerospace firm, developing an electric conversion kit for Piper Archer aircraft, and joining the Climate Group’s RE100 initiative.

“Although we do a lot of simulation, we also own a fleet of small aircraft—mostly Piper aircraft—to give the initial pilot license to cadets,” Gagnon shared.

She also explained that the RE100 is a group of companies that are committed to being powered by renewable energy by 2050. “In our case, because we have our renewable energy certificate, we’re almost there already—it’s proof that you are powered on the grid by renewable energy,” she noted. “We pay the premium for the electricity, where it’s not already directly powered by renewable energy. Being admitted to that select group of companies was also one of the achievements that we’ve highlighted in our report this year.”

CAE’s five-year ESG roadmap sets precise objectives for tracking progress. The company’s Flight Operations Solutions aim to reduce fuel consumption and waste, further supporting the decarbonization of the aviation industry.

Key partnerships include a 10-year agreement with Frontier Airlines for next-gen flight operations solutions, collaboration with Vertical Aerospace to develop training for the VX4 eVTOL aircraft, and extended agreements with TAG Aviation and Global Jet for business aviation pilot training. CAE also continues to provide integrated training services through its Cygnet Aviation Academy, in collaboration with Chorus Aviation.

eVTOL developer BETA Technologies and CAE announced a partnership in 2021 to develop a program for pilot and maintenance technician training for BETA’s ALIA aircraft.

To meet global demand for pilots and maintenance technicians, CAE is expanding its training capacity in Toronto and Burgess Hill Training Centres with the addition of Boeing 787 and 737 MAX full-flight simulators. This expansion aims to produce an additional 45,000 business aviation pilots and 66,000 business aircraft technicians by 2029.

Collins Reveals $14M Expansion of Additive Manufacturing Facility

Collins Aerospace completed a $14 million expansion of its additive manufacturing facility in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Photos: Jessica Reed)

Last week, Collins Aerospace celebrated a 9,000-square-foot expansion of its additive manufacturing facility. The site is located in West Des Moines, Iowa. The $14 million expansion of the facility will enable the installation of multiple new 3D metal printers that promise to increase the additive manufacturing capabilities of Collins’ team.

The facility received its first additive manufacturing machine back in 2016 which was capable of producing objects smaller than roughly one cubic foot. The first of the new 3D metal printers, which has already been installed onsite, can produce parts that are eight times larger in volume. “It’s really meant for maximum production,” remarked a member of the Collins team during a tour of the facility.

“We’ve just finished working with the OEM to do site acceptance testing on the equipment,” they shared with Avionics. “That is now signed off, and we’re going to start working on process development—choosing parameters for the lasers, writing our specifications for aerospace, and getting ready to ramp up production. Working through that process will take about six months to a year.”

Of the roughly 40 employees at the West Des Moines facility, about 10 or 15 are working directly with additive manufacturing. Collins also has additive production centers in Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Singapore, as well as a research center for additive manufacturing in Connecticut.

The U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) hopes to leverage additive manufacturing for building parts of the Department of Defense’s hypersonic test facilities. Additive manufacturing involves building objects layer by layer. The process takes advantage of 3D modeling and advanced fiber materials.

Renee Begley, Collins’ West Des Moines site lead, commented on the announcement, saying: “From supporting the backlog in commercial aircraft to enabling future platforms, and reducing carbon emissions to providing supply chain relief, additive manufacturing is poised to play an integral role in the future of the aerospace and defense industry. Additive manufacturing has the potential to help us reduce weight, complexity, lead time, and cost in the parts we supply, and this expansion represents an investment in our business to help deliver those benefits to our customers.”

She remarked during a tour of the facility, “Additive manufacturing is a game changer for the entire aerospace and defense industry.”

PJ Titone, Vice President of Engine Control Systems at Collins Aerospace, shared a few words prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony: “Power controls products make flying safer, quieter, and more comfortable. We are leading the development of more electric and autonomous solutions that will power the future aircraft of tomorrow.”

PJ Titone, Vice President of Engine Control Systems

Henry Brooks, President of Power & Controls, also spoke during Collins’ facility expansion event. “Additive is a key focus not only for this facility, but for Collins Aerospace, and for RTX as a company,” he said.

“This technology enables us to produce parts faster, at a lower cost, and with greater precision, to best support our strategic business units across Collins Aerospace, our commercial and our military OEMs, and airline partners.”

Henry Brooks, President of Power & Controls

“This really furthers RTX’s commitment to being a more sustainable company,” Brooks added. “The aerospace industry is not standing still; it is moving towards a net zero greenhouse emissions future. And when you think about what additive can do—less weight, better cost, lower risk, speed to market—we are right in the middle of what can make this market move a lot faster.”

“Even before today, this West Des Moines facility was a global powerhouse in fuel nozzles for the aerospace industry,” Governor Kim Reynolds said during the event. “Now with the addition of the 9,000 square feet of space for even more powerful 3D metal printers, you are poised to push production to get into it even higher gear.”

She added, “Manufacturing is Iowa’s largest industry sector, accounting for 19% of our GDP and 60% of our exports. But what’s even more important than the raw numbers is the culture of partnership, growth, and innovation that makes it all work.”

Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa

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