Requirements, platform specifications, and system architectures for future unmanned traffic management systems

Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management is a critical issue that must be addressed to develop a proper regulation for a safe authorization of the various activities provided by drones. This framework includes all provisions that must be developed to support drone reliability, such as on board systems, ground support, datalink, and procedures. This paper presents a quantitative approach to derive system specifications for drones operating inside the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management system. First of all, a list of requirements for platforms that operate in each class is discussed. This means the list of terms to be assessed and the relevant intervals of accepted values. Subsequently, a description of platform specifications that fulfills the above described requirements for each one of the presented classes. Furthermore, system architectures will be discussed considering flight platform, remote pilot station, and traffic management interface. Finally, some prototypical applications under development at drone testing facility of University of Naples will be discussed and the relevant results will be used as a figure of merit for the above reported terms.