Hierarchical Server Architecture for UAS Airspace Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) into national airspace is hindered by a lack of information availability to air traffic controllers and other operators, leading to potential safety issues, as existing systems do not effectively provide real-time situation awareness and seamless communication across different geographical regions.
Innovation Solution
A network cloud-based hierarchical architecture is established, comprising higher and lower level servers that facilitate communication and data sharing, enabling integrated situation awareness for both manned and unmanned aircraft, with the higher level server acting as a proxy during handovers between geographical regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hierarchical server architecture is implemented to enable real-time data sharing and situation awareness across regions, then information availability and safety are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into multiple hierarchical levels with higher level servers providing regional/national oversight and lower level servers providing local control. This segmentation allows real-time data sharing across regions while distributing system complexity across manageable modular components, resolving the contradiction between improved safety through comprehensive monitoring and reduced system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Higher level servers act as intermediaries between lower level servers and central authorities, facilitating data exchange and situation awareness without requiring direct complex connections between all system components. This intermediary architecture improves information availability while managing system complexity through layered communication protocols.
2Loss of information
If a network cloud-based hierarchical architecture is established to provide integrated situation awareness, then information sharing and safety are improved, but data flow management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a hierarchical dimension to data flow management, organizing information exchange across multiple levels (higher and lower level servers) rather than requiring direct peer-to-peer connections. This dimensional organization improves information sharing efficiency while simplifying data flow management through structured hierarchical protocols.
3Ease of operation
If proxy servers are used during handovers between geographical regions to maintain continuous control, then operational continuity is improved, but system architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Higher level servers are pre-configured to act as proxy servers before handovers occur, maintaining continuous control and situation awareness during transitions between lower level servers. This preliminary setup of hierarchical proxy relationships ensures operational continuity while managing architecture complexity through predetermined handover protocols.
4Loss of information
If real-time flight information and position information are collected and shared across multiple regions, then situation awareness is improved, but communication infrastructure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication infrastructure is segmented into higher level servers handling regional/national data aggregation and lower level servers handling local data collection and distribution. This segmentation improves situation awareness across regions while reducing communication infrastructure complexity by distributing data handling responsibilities across hierarchical layers rather than requiring a single complex centralized system.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Systems and methods for creating a network cloud based hierarchical architecture for supporting unmanned aircraft are disclosed. A system may include a higher level server, one or more lower level server in direct communication with the higher level server, and one or more control station in direct communication with the lower level server. Each control station may be configured to: control flight operations of an unmanned aircraft; acquire flight information and position information of the unmanned aircraft; and provide updates to the lower level server regarding the flight information and position information of the unmanned aircraft. Each lower level server may be configured to: process the flight information and position information received from the control station; and provide updates to the higher level server regarding the flight information and position information received from the control station.