SBIR-STTR Award

SARA’s Passive Acoustic Non-cooperative aircraft Collision Avoidance System (PANCAS) is a novel TRL-6 detect and avoid (DAA) sensor that reliably detects aircraft over a 360° field-of-regard in a remarkably low size, weight, and power system. Installed on a drone, PANCAS provides critical situational awareness and the level of safety required by the FAA. PANCAS can play an important role in enabling autonomous sUAS operations in lower risk airspaces within the National Airspace System (NAS), as well as supporting Air Force UAS operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in military airspace shared with manned aircraft. PANCAS has been evaluated by the Air Force Test Pilot School and was given a SATISFACTORY rating. PANCAS has tremendous commercial applicability, as lack of an effective DAA system has been a key barrier stalling the takeoff of the UAS economy. During Phase I SARA will work with the University of North Dakota to specify a PANCAS system architecture, safety case and flight test plan. In Phase II we will integrate and flight test PANCAS and apply for FAA authorization to fly BVLOS. PANCAS has military potential as a completely passive ISR sensor, detecting sounds from aircraft, ground vehicles, machinery, gunfire and adversary UAS. SARA’s Passive Acoustic Non-cooperative aircraft Collision Avoidance System (PANCAS) is a novel TRL-6 detect and avoid (DAA) sensor that reliably detects aircraft over a 360° field-of-regard in a remarkably low size, weight, and power system. Installed on a drone, PANCAS provides critical situational awareness and the level of safety required by the FAA. PANCAS can play an important role in enabling autonomous sUAS operations in lower risk airspaces within the National Airspace System (NAS), as well as supporting Air Force UAS operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in military airspace shared with manned aircraft. PANCAS has been evaluated by the Air Force Test Pilot School and was given a SATISFACTORY rating. PANCAS has tremendous commercial applicability, as lack of an effective DAA system has been a key barrier stalling the takeoff of the UAS economy. During Phase I SARA will work with the University of North Dakota to specify a PANCAS system architecture, safety case and flight test plan. In Phase II we will integrate and flight test PANCAS and apply for FAA authorization to fly BVLOS. PANCAS has military potential as a completely passive ISR sensor, detecting sounds from aircraft, ground vehicles, machinery, gunfire and adversary

SARA has developed an onboard passive acoustic sensor system, the Passive Acoustic Non-cooperative Collision Avoidance System (PANCAS), that allows manned and unmanned aircraft to operate safely in the same airspace. SARA will integrate this system into...