Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) and ANRA Technologies recently collaborated to conduct an operational assessment of ANRA’s UAS traffic management (UTM) technology for broadcast and network based remote identification (RID) of UAS.

During the assessment, which took place from May 28 to 29 at the New York UAS Test Site located at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, NUAIR staff used draft industry standards for evaluating both broadcast and network based remote identification capabilities to assess ANRA’s technology.

NUAIR staff flew several UAS; two of which carried a unique Wi-Fi broadcast module provided by ANRA and Doodle Labs, to test RID broadcast capability.

The entities say that “overall, the event was deemed successful for being the first operational assessment of both broadcast and network capability.”

“Companies like ANRA are partnering with NUAIR and the NY UAS Test Site to conduct safe and rigorous testing of the latest UTM technology for compliance with current and emerging standards,” says NUAIR Chief Technology Officer Andy Thurling.

“We are excited to provide resources and test expertise to businesses pushing the envelope of what’s possible with unmanned systems.”

Part of the assessment involved several UAS Service Suppliers (USS) at the test site using ANRA’s UTM software to manage UAS operations, while also serving as the network RID service and display provider. To present information to the end users, the display applications ingested broadcast RID data and/or interacted with a network RID display provider.

The broadcasting UAS transmitted RID advertisements continuously. A Display App on a smartphone used the smartphone’s technology to not only listen for the UAS advertisements, but also extract the RID data, and then display the live UAS location on a map along with its historical path.

Network publishing was also tested using ANRA’s Software Platform to visualize data within an internet-based service area. In this situation, the Display App made a request to ANRA network RID display provider, which had aggregated RID data for all flights in the area managed by network RID service providers, and provided the aggregated data back to the Display App.

Oneida County Sheriff personnel, who participated in the assessment using a mobile app and password protection, received and viewed the broadcast remote ID on ANRA displays.

“This test of ANRA’s remote identification technology is further evidence of how innovation and collaboration continue to blossom at Oneida County’s UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport,” says Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr.

“This new tool will prove vital in the traffic management and public safety of unmanned aircraft systems and continue to push the industry forward.”

In an effort to further the industry, ANRA and its partner Doodle Labs have also announced their decision to open source the broadcast based Remote ID firmware implementation, which can be used for any Linux compatible Wi-Fi hardware module.

During the assessment, a public facing mobile app was also tested. This app provides information about participating UAS, such as if the UAS was being flown by an approved FAA operator.