NASA: ADS-B Could Allow Drones In NAS

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/NASA-ADS-B-Could-Allow-Drones-In-NAS-225878-1.html

NASA: ADS-B Could Allow Drones In NAS
By Mary Grady

Large-scale drones could safely fly in the National Airspace System by using
ADS-B technology, according to NASA researchers. The agency said recently it
has developed a patent-pending integrated communications and control system
that's capable of collision warnings as well as real-time traffic and weather
updates. Vigilant Aerospace Systems has recently signed a licensing agreement
with NASA to develop the system. "One of the major advantages of this system is
that it uses existing FAA infrastructure to help keep drones away from other
aircraft," said Kraettli Epperson, CEO of Vigilant. "It also gives nearby
aircraft the ability to be aware of the drone and improves situational
awareness for the drone operator."

Vigilant intends to commercialize the technology as part of its new
FlightHorizon product suite, NASA said, and will equip both manned and unmanned
aircraft with the hardware and software. The system provides synthetic cockpit
views and detect-and-avoid commands to improve flight safety for all kinds of
aircraft. The technology has been tested extensively on Armstrong's remotely
piloted aircraft Ikhana Predator B. "We were excited about licensing this
technology because we see the potential for these particular inventions to not
only make significant contributions to flight safety for both unmanned and
manned aircraft but also to be a platform technology for the future of flight
automation," said Epperson.
-------------------------------------------------

https://vigilantaerospace.com/

http://www.myidst.com/home5/international-defence-security-and-technology/military/air-231/reliable-sense-and-avoid-saa-systems-are-last-stumbling-block-for-large-scale-civil-consumer-and-security-drones/