NASA, in collaboration with AeroVironment and Aerostar, has successfully demonstrated an innovative air traffic management concept designed for aircraft operating at altitudes of 60,000 feet and above. This initiative, termed Upper-Class E traffic management (ETM), aims to facilitate safe operations in previously unregulated airspace, potentially enhancing internet coverage, disaster response capabilities, and scientific research.
Historically, the absence of a traffic management system for high-altitude flight was due to the limitations of commercial aircraft. However, advancements in aircraft design and propulsion technologies now enable high-altitude long endurance vehicles—such as balloons, airships, and solar-powered aircraft—to operate in this region, offering significant benefits for communication and atmospheric data collection.
To address the growing demand for high-altitude missions, NASA's ETM system allows aircraft to autonomously share their location and flight plans, thereby ensuring safe separation without burdening existing air traffic control systems. Currently, high-altitude traffic management is a manual process, requiring operators to seek permission from air traffic control, which is not sustainable for the expected increase in high-altitude operations.
During a recent simulation at NASA's Ames Research Center, data from various air vehicles was integrated into multiple traffic control monitors, showcasing the system's capability to manage diverse operations. This included real-time sharing of aircraft health, location, and flight plans, allowing for coordinated operations between a slow fixed-wing vehicle and a high-altitude balloon.
The simulation marks a significant milestone, being the first instance where a traffic management system managed a range of high-altitude aircraft operations within a shared airspace. Moving forward, NASA plans to validate this system through real-world flight tests involving high-altitude aircraft.
The development of the Upper-Class E traffic management concept has been conducted in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and industry stakeholders, as part of NASA's National Airspace System Exploratory Concepts and Technologies subproject.