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The integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in non-segregated airspace is one of the most demanding challenges that the aviation community must face in the years ahead. This article develops the flight-plan processing from a risk-based methodology. The risk-based methodology is underpinned by an in-depth safety analysis throughout the three temporary horizons of the Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management system: strategical, pre-tactical and tactical. The flight-plan processing demands different measures depending on the temporary horizon. The measures mean geographical restrictions (airways or air corridors segregated for RPAS) and temporary restrictions (periods in which RPAS cannot operate). Both restrictions ensure that RPAS operation is safe and do not generate interactions with conventional aircraft. The last goal of this approach is to provide the required information to the RPAS operator based on the information available from the Network Manager (NM). The communication and information flow between the RPAS operator and the NM are detailed to validate flight-plan processing. If the initial flight plan is not affordable, the NM provides modifications during the flight-plan re-processing. The methodology is applied in the Spanish upper airspace. The results confirmed the validity and leeway of the flight-plan processing, although its implementation demands further improvements based on air traffic flow and path uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Continuous climb operation is an operational concept that allows airlines to perform an optimal departing trajectory avoiding air traffic control segregation requirements. This concept implies the design and integration of air traffic flows for the sake of safety performance. This paper designs a new conflict-detection air traffic control tool based on the blocking-area concept, characterises the conflict probability between air traffic flows and assesses the impact of continuous climb operation integration in a terminal manoeuvring area. In this paper, a conflict is set out by the infringement of vertical and longitudinal separation minima and coincides with the probability of air traffic control tool usage. Moreover, this research discusses two different approaches for the conflict-detection air traffic control tool: a static approach considering nominal continuous climb operations and landing trajectories, and a dynamic approach that assesses 105 continuous climb operations and landing trajectories. Finally, the air traffic control tool is implemented using Palma TMA data and proves that out of 11 intersections (between departing and landing routes), solely 4 generate vertical separation infringements. The conflict probability between continuous climb operations and arrivals is less than 10−5. Except for one intersection, that is roughly 10−2, similar to current air traffic control intervention designed levels. Therefore, results conclude the viability of the conflict-detection air traffic control tool and continuous climb operations integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Remotely-piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) present interesting and complex challenges for air traffic management. One of the most critical aspects of the integration of RPASs in non-segregated airspace is safety assessments. This paper lays out a methodology for estimating the minimum protection distance (MPD) that is required to avoid potential conflicts between RPASs and conventional aircraft. The MPD determines the final moment that air traffic control may instruct a RPAS to start climbing with a fixed rate of climb (ROC) to avoid separation minima infringement. The methodology sets out a conflict-resolution algorithm to estimate the MPD. It also models the impact of communication, navigation, and surveillance requirements on the MPD. The main difference between RPASs and conventional aircraft is that the former needs additional communication between the RPAS and pilot in the form of a required Comand and Control link performance (RLP). Finally, the authors carried out Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the value of the MPD only for the head-on encounter, which is the worst scenario. The results showed that the main factors affecting the MPD were RLP and ROC. By increasing RLP and decreasing ROC it was possible to reduce the MPD from 28 to 17 nautical miles; however, the variation in the MPD was not linear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This research assesses the impact of the integration of Continuous Climb operations (CCOs) on Air Traffic Control (ATC) workload. The methodology encompasses different modules: CCO, standard departing and arriving trajectories extracted from an external database, an ad-hoc algorithm for detecting and solving conflicts, and an ATC-workload model with the inclusion of CCO-task modifications. Monte Carlo simulations evaluates different combinations of these modules. Then, a sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate two parameters: the impact of the calibration of the maximum ATC workload and the percentage increase of the CCO tasks on the ATC workload. The methodology is applied to a case study at Palma airport in Spain. Extensive numerical simulations are executed based on the integration of CCOs into the system from 0% to 100%. The integration of CCOs implies the increase of the ATC workload in the Control Tower (TWR) and the reduction in the Approach Control Centre (APP). The sensitivity analysis shows that the decrease in the increase of CCO-task workload barely affects the number of CCOs that can be operated without exceeding the workload limits. Conversely, the reduction of the ATC workload calibration allows the integration of CCOs around 50% in the case of 90% TWR calibration and up to 100% in the case of 80%. • This research assesses the impact of the integration of Continuous Climb operations (CCOs) on ATC workload. • ATC-workload model is a task-based model tuned by the introduction of CCOs. • CCO integration increases the ATC workload in the TWR and reduces it in the APP dependency. • Sensitivity analysis evaluates the impact of the ATC maximum-workload calibration and the CCO-tasks weight. • The reduction of ATC maximum-workload calibration implies an increase on the CCO percentage integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract Continuous Climb Operations (CCO) enable aircraft to execute optimal departing trajectories. However, current airspace design may not allow the integration of CCO due to incompatibility with air traffic flow. This paper lays out a new conflict risk model and assesses the impact of CCO in complex airspace. In this document, conflict risk is defined as the combination of conflict probability between an aircraft pair (CCO and arrivals) and estimated air traffic flows. The authors set out a new approach to determining the probability of vertical conflicts. This approach is based on the altitude distributions at conflict points, which are estimated using simulations (CCO) and real data (arrivals). Using altitude distributions, it is possible to statistically determine the probability of two aircraft infringing the vertical separation minimum. This methodology is applied to Palma airport (Spain). Results show that it is feasible to integrate CCO except for one conflict point where air traffic flows need to be redesigned. Therefore, this new conflict risk model can form the basis of a future decision-making process to validate new flight procedures or modify existing ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...