The skies over North Texas are getting busier, and NASA wants emergency drones to get the same clear path that ambulances and fire engines get on the road.
A recent flight exercise in the region tested how airspace prioritization tools could help first responder drones move quickly and safely through crowded skies. Researchers from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley worked with local and state public safety agencies, industry partners and the Federal Aviation Administration to test how emergency crews could get priority airspace access in real time.
The exercise is the latest collaboration between NASA and the FAA in the area. North Texas is an FAA-designated region that allows commercial drone deliveries to fly daily.
When a police, fire, or rescue drone launched during the exercise, other drones moved aside. When multiple public safety organisations responded to simulated emergencies, their officials communicated to prioritise access for the right drones.
“Just as ambulances use lights and sirens to signal vehicles to move out of the way, public safety operators require the ability to share airspace safely,” said Abhay Borade, a research lead for the Air Traffic Management and Safety project at NASA Ames.
“The key is to prioritize safety of flight operations, while balancing the efficient use of the airspace for all operators.”
The Texas testing helped NASA better understand how commercial flights differ from public safety drone missions. Emergency crews rarely fly predictable routes.
During a search, a pursuit, or when scanning a dangerous environment, they may need to change direction suddenly. Researchers collected data on how unpredictable vehicle movements, demonstrated by having a drone follow an officer driving an SUV erratically, simulating a fleeing suspect in a vehicle chase, might affect nearby commercial drone activity.
NASA said the result demonstrated its development of air traffic systems and tools to prioritise public safety operators as commercial drone use increases.
“By working closely with industry and federal partners, we’re helping build the data, tools, and traffic management frameworks needed to ensure the future of drone operations is safe, responsible, and scalable for everyone,” said Shivanjli Sharma, Air Traffic Management and Safety project manager at NASA Ames.
Participants in the demonstration included drone airspace management companies Drone Sense, Avision and ANRA Technologies, as well as the FAA, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the police departments of Fort Worth, Arlington and Irving.
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