Waggoner, Edgar G.

NASA Technical Reports Server

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
www.nasa.gov
Status Update on NASA’s
Integrated Systems Research Program 
49th AIAA  
Aerospace Sciences Meeting
January 4, 2011
Dr. Edgar G. Waggoner
Director
Integrated Systems Research Program
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20110012686 2019-08-30T15:51:24+00:00Z
2Seeking New Ideas
Integrated System-Level Research
Fundamental Research
Technology
Transfer
Technology
Transfer
NASA Aeronautics Investment Strategy
Enabling “Game Changing” concepts by advancing research to understand the 
feasibility of advanced systems
Seeking New Ideas
Integrated System-Level Research
Fundamental Research
• National Aeronautics R&D Policy (Dec 2006), Plan 
(Dec 2007 and Biennial update Feb 2010) and 
Technical Appendix (Dec 2008)
– “Mobility through the air is vital…”
– “Aviation is vital to national security and homeland 
defense”
– “Assuring energy availability and efficiency …” and “The 
environment must be protected…”
• NextGen: The Next Generation Air Transportation 
System
– Joint Planning Development Office (JPDO), Vision 100 
(2003) and Integrated Plan
– Revolutionary transformation of the airspace, the 
vehicles that fly in it, and their operations, safety, and 
environmental impact
• NASA Strategic Plan
– Sub-Goal 3E: “Advance knowledge in the fundamental 
disciplines of aeronautics, and develop technologies for 
safer aircraft and higher capacity airspace systems.”
The National and NASA Contexts
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NASA Aeronautics Portfolio in FY 2011
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Conduct cutting-edge research that will 
produce innovative concepts, tools, and 
technologies to enable revolutionary 
changes for vehicles that fly in all 
speed regimes.
Directly address the fundamental ATM 
research needs for NextGen by dev-
eloping revolutionary concepts, 
capabilities, and technologies that 
will enable significant increases 
in the capacity, efficiency and 
flexibility of the NAS.
Fundamental Aeronautics Program Airspace Systems Program
Conduct cutting-edge research that will produce innovative 
concepts, tools, and technologies to improve the intrinsic safety 
attributes of current and future aircraft.
Preserve and promote the testing capabilities of one of the United States’ 
largest, most versatile and comprehensive set of flight and ground-based 
research facilities.
Aeronautics Test Program
Integrated 
Systems
Research Program
Conduct research at an integrated 
system-level on promising concepts and 
technologies and explore/assess/demonstrate 
the benefits in a relevant environment
Aviation Safety Program
Integrated Systems Research Program
Integrated 
Systems
Research Program
Conduct research at an integrated 
system-level on promising concepts and 
technologies and 
explore/assess/demonstrate the benefits 
in a relevant environment
• Environmentally Responsible Aviation
• Unmanned  Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace
ISRP Portfolio Strategic Planning
Criteria for Addition of Projects to the ISRP Portfolio
Overarching requirement for the addition of projects to the 
Integrated Systems Research Program is a Budget Augmentation.
Additional Criteria for the start of a new ISRP Project
• Technologies have attained enough maturity in the foundational research 
program that they merit more in-depth evaluation at an integrated  system level 
in a relevant environment
• Technologies which systems analysis indicates have the most potential for 
contributing to the attainment of goals
• Technologies identified through stakeholder input as having potential for the 
attainment of goals
• Research and technology development is not being done by other government 
agencies and is appropriate for NASA to conduct
• Directed use of budget augmentation
Program Goal:
Conduct research at an integrated system level on promising concepts and 
technologies and demonstrate the benefits in a relevant environment
Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) 
Project
Explore and assess new vehicle concepts and 
enabling technologies through system-level 
experimentation to simultaneously reduce fuel burn, 
noise, and emissions
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in 
the National Airspace System (NAS) Project
Contribute capabilities that reduce technical barriers 
related to the safety and operational challenges 
associated with enabling routine UAS access to the 
NAS
Integrated Systems Research Program Overview
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National Challenges Addressed by ISRP
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Assuring Energy Availability and Efficiency Is Central . . . .
• Goal 2: Advance development of technologies and operations 
to enable significant increases in the energy efficiency of the 
aviation system
• Goal 3: Advance development of technologies and 
operational procedures to decrease the significant 
environmental impacts of the aviation system
Mobility Through the Air Is Vital to Economic……..
• Goal 5: Develop expanded manned and unmanned aircraft 
system capabilities to take advantage of increased air 
transportation system performance
Aviation Is Vital to National Security and Homeland Defense
• Goal 6: Develop capabilities for UAS NAS integration
ISRP & Project Management Teams
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Director
Dr. Ed Waggoner
Deputy Director
Jean Wolfe
Systems Engineer & 
Integration Manager
Selection is in Process
Program Integration Manager
Annette Kempisty
Program Office, NASA HQ, Washington, DC
Project Manager
Dr. Fay Collier, LaRC
Deputy Project Manager
Gaudy Bezos-O’Connor, LaRC
Chief Engineer
Mark Mangelsdorf, DFRC
Chief Technologist
Tony Washburn, LaRC
Environmentally Responsible Aviation 
(ERA) Project
Host Center – LaRC
Project Execution
LaRC - NASA Langley
GRC  - NASA Glenn
ARC  - NASA Ames
DFRC - NASA DrydenProgram Support (LMI Contract) – Beverly Floyd
Program Support (InDyne Contract) – Linda Phipps
Administrative Assistant (MSO) – Vickie Smith
UAS Integration in the NAS Project
Host Center - DFRC
Project Manager (Acting) 
Chuck Johnson, DFRC
Deputy Project Manager (Acting)
Robert Sakahara, DFRC
Chief Technologist (Acting)
Jeff Bauer, DFRC
Chief Systems Engineer (Acting)
C.J. Bixby, DFRC
Collaboration and Partnerships
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Integrated Systems Research Program
Aviation Safety 
Program Airspace Systems 
Program
Fundamental 
Aeronautics 
Program
Other Mission 
Directorates
Academia
Industry
Other Government 
Organizations 
Foreign 
Organizations
Aeronautics
Test Program
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Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project
Project Goal:  
Explore and assess new vehicle concepts and enabling technologies 
through system-level experimentation to simultaneously reduce fuel 
burn, noise, and emissions 
• Airframe Technology
• Propulsion Technology
• Vehicle Systems Integration
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Why Green Aviation? – National Challenges
Fuel Efficiency
• In 2008, U.S. major commercial carriers burned 19.6B gallons of jet fuel.  
DoD burned 4.6B gallons
• At an average price of $3.00/gallon, fuel cost was $73B 
Emissions
• 40 of the top 50 U.S. airports are in non-attainment areas that do not  
meet EPA local air quality standards for particulate matter and ozone
• The fuel consumed by U.S. commercial carriers and DoD releases more 
than 250 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year
Noise
• Aircraft noise continues to be regarded as the most significant hindrance 
to NAS capacity growth.  
• FAA’s attempt to reconfigure New York airspace resulted in 14 lawsuits.
• Since 1980 FAA has invested over $5B in airport noise reduction 
programs
FY10 Technical Performance/Highlights
• Boeing/AF/Cranfield X-48B Low Speed Flight Controls 
Flight Test (w/SFW)
– Completed/documented Phase I
– Phase II planned, contracted and underway
• General Electric Open Rotor Test (w/SFW)
– Low speed campaign in the GRC 9x6 completed
• Boeing/AFRL HWB/Advanced Tube and Wing System 
Study Completed (w/SFW)
– Very well documented
– Open rotor option being exercised
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FY09 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15FY10
Technical input from Fundamental Programs, NRAs, Industry, Academia, Other Gov’t Agencies
Initial NRAs
External
Input
ERA Project Flow
And Key Decision Point for Phase 2
Phase 1 Investigations
Phase 2 Investigations
Key Decision 
Point
for Phase 2
Prior 
Research Formulation
$56.9M* $73.1M $75.1M $71.7M $67.4M $67.4M
Phase 2 
Planning
Reflects FY11 
President’s Budget
*Actual Budget for FY10
UAS Integration Call to Action 
GAO Report
2008
Decadal Survey
2006
NASA FY 09 
Authorization Bill
NRC Report
2008
Under Secretary of 
Defense for 
Acquisition, 
Technology, and 
Logistics and 
NASA Administrator 
Collaboration Request
2008
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UAS Integration in the NAS Project Context
• The need to fly UAS in the NAS is of increasing urgency to perform 
missions of vital importance to national security and defense, 
emergency management, and science, and to enable commercial 
applications
• UAS are unable to routinely access the National Airspace System 
today due to a lack of:
– Automated Separation Assurance integrated with collision 
avoidance systems
– Robust Communication technologies
– Robust Human Systems Integration
– Standardized safety and certification
• Current aviation regulations were built upon the condition of a pilot 
in the aircraft
• Need technologies and procedures to enable seamless operation 
and integration of UAS in the NAS
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UAS Integration in the NAS Project
• Vision
– A global transportation system which allows routine access for all classes of 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
• Mission
– Utilize integrated system level tests in a relevant environment to reduce 
technical barriers related to the safety and operational challenges of 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) National Airspace System (NAS) access
– Work with key stakeholders to define necessary deliverables/products to 
help enable UAS access to the NAS
• Scope
– Technology development and demonstration in 4 specific technology 
elements, which will address operational/safety issues related to UAS 
Integration in the NAS
• Separation Assurance
• Human Systems Integration
• Communications
• Certification
– Support the UAS Community in developing a national strategy for UAS 
integration into the NAS
– Ensure the transfer of technology to relevant stakeholders (including the 
FAA, DoD, standards organizations, and industry)
Project Assumptions
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• UAS operations will not degrade the safety of the NAS
• This project will focus on civil UAS, but will also provide substantial 
benefits to public UAS
• Small UAS are an integrated part of the project
• The national roadmap will be used to set priorities (when it becomes 
available). In the meantime, we’ve made decisions informed by prior 
NASA work and interactions with key UAS stakeholders
• The outputs will have broad applicability across all UAS classes, 
missions, and levels of autonomy
• While the overall project scope is wide, individual technical elements 
will focus outputs in a way that allows them to optimize their scarce 
resources
• We will get agreement with decision-makers that they will use the data 
that we generate to make decisions
• The Separation Assurance technical element will only look at collision 
avoidance in terms of the required interfaces (not sense and avoid 
algorithms)
• The Human Systems Integration technical element will use “human on 
the loop” level of autonomy as the baseline
FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15FY10
Technical input from Project technical elements, NRAs, Industry, Academia, Other Gov’t Agencies
Jump Start UAS 
Activities
External
Input
Sys Analysis: ConOps, Gap analysis, etc.
Phase 2
Prior Activities Formulation
$30.0M $30.0M $30.0M $30.0M $30.0M
Initial Modeling, Simulation, 
& Flight Testing
Phase 1
Flight Validated Integrated 
Capability for UAS Access
Validate Project Activities
UAS Integration in the NAS Project Flow
Integrated Modeling, Simulation, & 
Flight Testing
Technology Development 
Reflects FY11 
President’s Budget
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SUMMARY
 1st Year Implementation of Program and ERA Project Has Been 
Successful.  
• Technical Accomplishments:
– Boeing/AF/Cranfield X-48B Low Speed Flight Controls Flight Test 
(w/SFW)
– General Electric Open Rotor Test (w/SFW)
– Boeing/AFRL HWB/Advanced Tube and Wing System Study 
Completed (w/SFW)
 Embarking on New Effort to facilitate UAS Integration in the NAS Project
 Looking Forward to Future Collaboration, Partnerships, & Interactions 
with the Stakeholder Community
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For Internal NASA Use Only 21
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For Internal NASA Use Only 22
BACKUPS
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Integrated Systems Research Program (ISRP)-
Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project
Components Sub System System TestbedA/C
Airframe
Propulsion
Integration
Lightweight Structures
Flight Dynamics and 
Control
Drag Reduction
Noise Reduction
Combustor Technology
Propulsor Technology
Core Technology
Systems Analysis
Propulsion Airframe 
Integration
Propulsion Airframe 
Aeroacoustics
Advanced Vehicle 
Concepts
Test Region
Fundamental Aeronautics Integrated Systems Research
Demonstrated fuel burn 
savings: Over 40% reduction
Noise reduction:
1/6th the objectionable
Emissions reduction: 
Local air quality: 50% less NOx
Global climate: 40% less CO2
If used, goals need 
to be updated.
Where NASA will Focus 
Separation Assurance
• Separation Assurance in the NextGen environment
Communications
• Allocation of spectrum
• Robust data-link and satellite communications
• Secure data-link communications
Human Systems Integration 
• Pilot control interface
• Definitions of roles and responsibilities between pilots and 
controllers
Certification
• Airworthiness requirements, starting with systems and 
equipment
• Type design criteria
Integrated Tests and Evaluation
• Simulations and flight tests in a relevant environment
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Where NASA will Focus
• Separation Assurance
– Provide an assessment of how NextGen separation assurance systems with different 
functional allocations perform for UAS in mixed operations with manned aircraft
– Assess the applicability to UAS and the performance of NASA NextGen separation 
assurance systems in flight tests with realistic latencies and trajectory uncertainty
• Human Systems Integration
– Develop a research test-bed and database to provide data and proof of concept for 
GCS operations in the NAS
– Coordinate with standards organizations to develop human factors guidelines for GCS 
operation in the NAS
• Communications
– Develop data and rationale to obtain appropriate frequency spectrum allocations to 
enable the safe and efficient operation of UAS in the NAS. 
– Develop and validate candidate UAS secure safety critical command & control  (C2) 
system/subsystem test equipment which complies with UAS international/national 
frequency regulations, ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, and 
FAA/RTCA Minimum Operational Performance Standards/Minimum Aviation System 
Performance Standards for UAS
– Perform analysis to support recommendations for integration of safety critical C2 
systems and ATC communications to ensure safe and efficient operation of UAS in 
the NAS
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Where NASA will Focus (continued) 
• Certification
– Define a UAS classification scheme and approach to determining airworthiness 
requirements (.1309) applicable to all UAS avionics
– Provide hazard and risk-related data to support development of type design criteria 
and best development practices, especially for small UAS
• Integrated Tests and Evaluation
– Integrate and test mature concepts from the technical disciplines   (separation 
assurance, communications, and human systems   integration) to demonstrate and 
test viability
– Evaluate the performance of the research in a relevant environment    (full mission 
human-in-the-loop simulations and flight tests)
10/21/2010 26


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