Improving conflict detection and avoidance

As the demand for air travel increases, so does the need to adapt the current traffic alert and collision avoidance system in order to preserve high levels of safety while improving airspace capacity and efficiency.

With this in mind, the AGENT project researched and developed a framework, proposing trajectory manoeuvres that take into account interdependencies between human behaviour, automation and aircraft performance.

The framework provides air traffic controllers and pilots with the means to deal with situations of conflict between planes by allowing them to choose the best solution when changing trajectories according to specific characteristics of each conflict. The framework is designed to be cooperative, as the proposed solutions factor in the interests of all parties involved.

The framework opens up the possibility of creating new connections between cities, increasing flight frequencies and avoiding fuel consumption due to unnecessary manoeuvres, which will in turn reduce emissions and fuel costs.

An open demonstrator has been implemented to validate the framework and allow scientific community to test their own tools. Results achieved in remotely-piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) missions confirms the potential benefits of AGENT framework in the configuration of U-space.

Benefits

• Better conflict and collision avoidance resolution
• Increased situational awareness of forecasted collision
• Improve airspace capacity
• Maintained levels of safety