Designing a Surveillance Sensor Network with Information Clearinghouse for Advanced Air Mobility

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Network Design
• Surveillance Systems

Background:

• Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) requires robust surveillance for safe and efficient operations.
• A centralized data hub is essential for AAM traffic monitoring and planning.
• Existing surveillance methods may not adequately cover diverse operational environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an optimized sensor network design for AAM surveillance.
• To create a framework for a low altitude surveillance information clearinghouse (LASIC).
• To conduct a cost-benefit analysis for AAM surveillance infrastructure investment.

Main Methods:

• Developed an optimization model for sensor network design considering terrain and detection probabilities.
• Evaluated six AAM sensor types and homogeneous versus heterogeneous network configurations.
• Performed a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed surveillance network and LASIC.

Main Results:

• The study identified optimal sensor types for detecting cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft.
• Heterogeneous sensor networks demonstrated greater cost-effectiveness than homogeneous networks.
• Sensitivity analysis highlighted the impact of subscription fees, subscriber numbers, and detection probabilities on network design and cost.

Conclusions:

• The proposed AAM surveillance network design effectively balances cost and coverage requirements.
• LASIC provides a viable framework for data distribution and operational support.
• Heterogeneous networks represent a more profitable approach for AAM surveillance infrastructure.