Projects

The goal of ARCA project is to develop an on-board flight system able to guide a UAV towards a specific destination modifying its own flight trajectory in reaction to a variety of external situations, maintaining the separation with other aircrafts.   In restricted airspaces this system will allow a UAV to separate from other UAV by co-coordinating with them and solving possible trajectory conflicts. The system will also offer the same capabilities for the non restricted airspace, including separation from commercial aircraft. This capability will only be exploitable if particular operational conditions are met (e.g. all commercial traffic is equipped with the devices for providing navigation information such as the ADS-B; adequate ATM procedures are defined  to deal with equipment failures). However, the presence of this system will allow the first tests and experiences in this direction facilitating a smooth introduction of  UAV in the non restricted airspace.

The main functions required to the on-board flight system will be: Path Planning and Conflict Detection & Resolution. These functions will be ensured by refining and improving an algorithm, based on Multi-agents Systems and Game Theory, developed by two of the consortium partners in a national project. The algorithm will be integrated with a positioning system and a communication system able to exchange traffic information with all the interested parties (other UAV, manned aircraft, ground station) using an ADS-B compatible format. The whole system will be tested both through simulations and real flight trials, with two  UAV developed by an ARCA partner in a previous project.  

Deep Blue's role
Deep Blue will be project coordinator and in charge of the Dissemination and Exploitation activities. Deep Blue will lead the work-package about the algorithm design and implementation. Deep Blue will contribute to the ARCA Simulator design and development and to the testing and validation activities.