Towards Autonomous Aviation Operations: What can we learn from other areas of automation?

The introduction of automation has accelerated in many industries to perform dangerous tasks or to achieve high efficiencies. Space autonomy, Internet, robotic vehicles, intelligent systems, wireless networks and power systems provide successful examples of various levels of automation. Advances in computing, communications and control have enabled automation. The need for automation in aviation has been recognized for many years. However, aviation continues to be anchored in human-centered automation and the progress of automation in aviation has been more about modernizing equipment, introducing new sensor and surveillance technologies and procedures. Aviation operations are being challenged in unprecedented ways with the introduction of low-cost, low-weight Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating at low altitudes. NASA is conducting research in autonomy and developing plans to increase the levels of automation in aviation operations. This paper provides an overview of the fundamentals of automation, levels of automation and automation advances in other areas that bear functional similarities to Air Traffic Management (ATM). It provides a comparison between the requirements for automation in ATM and other areas and points to lessons learned in the development of successful automation. A description of some of the planning tasks performed in Traffic Flow Management (TFM) is provided to understand how developments in automation technologies and methods can advance the level of automation in the generation of TFM advisories. The paper discusses some of the research challenges in introducing increased levels of automation in ATM systems.