SBIR-STTR Award

Vertiport Human Automation Teaming Toolbox
Award last edited on: 1/16/2023

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NASA : LaRC
Total Award Amount
$149,916
Award Phase
1
Solicitation Topic Code
A3.02
Principal Investigator
Paul Krois

Company Information

Crown Consulting Inc (AKA: CCI)

1400 Key Boulevard Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
   (703) 650-0663
   info@crownci.com
   www.crownci.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 08
County: Arlington

Phase I

Contract Number: 80NSSC22PB003
Start Date: 7/21/2022    Completed: 1/25/2023
Phase I year
2022
Phase I Amount
$149,916
A mature advanced air mobility (AAM) system envisions hundreds of vertiports supporting high-density operations in complex environments. It is commonly recognized that vertiports will be the bottleneck of regional vertiport networks, thereby constraining the flow of traffic and impacting the financial bottom line. While it is also acknowledged that vertiports will require elevated levels of automation, the role in which the vertiport manager plays in teaming with automated resource scheduling systems has yet to be studied in detail. We propose to develop Vertiport Human Automation Teaming Toolbox (V-HATT), a simulation capability focused on vertiport airside operations with direct human vertiport manager oversight. In Phase I, we will develop vertiport manager user interface requirements, investigate vertiport surface and airspace design variables, evaluate vertiport surface resource scheduling algorithms, and develop a proof-of-concept simulation capability. In Phase II, we will build the vertiport manager user interface, develop terminal airspace separation and queuing algorithms, develop the integrated simulation capability, validate interfaces with human-in-the-loop for select use cases, and demonstrate contingencies in bottleneck analysis. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The High Density Vertiplex Subproject (HDV) may plug-in their vertiport automation technologies into V-HATT to test the effectiveness with HITL. Similarly, Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X) Project has several Subprojects with potential applicability including: UAM Airspace Management, Digital Information Platform (DIP), and Extensible Traffic Management (XTM). Additionally, V-HATT may be of interest to NASA Ames Human Systems Integration Division as a toolkit amongst others developed evaluating the human’s role in AAM. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): V-HATT can be utilized to evaluate tradeoffs against vertiport design, scheduling algorithms, and human-machine interactions for both public and private organizations who require an understanding of vertiport operational performance to aid in realistic planning and investment decisions. V-HATT may be transformed to a commercial vertiport operational software serving any ownership and usage model. Duration: 6

Phase II

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Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
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