RFQ_80NSSC18Q0424_SOW.pdf

NASA Glenn Research Center Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management C2 Study

1.0 Introduction

Currently, there is no established infrastructure to enable and safely manage the widespread use of low-altitude airspace and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations, regardless of the type of UAS. NASA’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) project is researching prototype technologies for a UTM system that could develop airspace integration requirements for enabling safe, efficient low-altitude operations. The UTM system would enable safe and efficient low-altitude airspace operations by providing services such as airspace design, corridors, dynamic geofencing, severe weather and wind avoidance, congestion management, terrain avoidance, route planning and re-routing, separation management, sequencing and spacing, and contingency management.

Command and control (C2) communications to support UTM operations is envisioned to make use of existing infrastructure such as LET/4G cellular networks. This infrastructure is designed for users at ground level, however connectivity with vehicles in low-altitude airspace has been shown to be possible.

The overall performance of a system making use of such infrastructure, however, is unknown and characterizing and understanding the potential performance is an important part of NASA’s UTM project.

As such, NASA is executing research, including flight testing and system analysis, to further the knowledge of the potential performance of the C2 infrastructure supporting the UTM operational concept.

2.0 Objective

The contractor will develop a simulation environment within Riverbed Modeler of relevant UTM communication system networks, which can include both terrestrial, airborne and space-based systems, to perform trade studies of different systems, and to complete performance analysis of selected systems.

3.0 Assumptions

1. The contractor understands the current civil unmanned aircraft communication standards process.

2. The contractor understands current cellular network parameters and characteristics (i.e.

4G/LTE) to a level sufficient to enable software modeling.

3. The contractor is proficient in developing simulation environments within Riverbed Modeler for aeronautical communications applications.

4. All hardware and software licenses that are needed to provide a turn-key solution are provided by NASA/GRC.

5. All source code developed by the contractor or any subcontractor will be provided to NASA/GRC as part of this task.

6. All third-party purchases to support this task will be coordinated with UTM project personnel.

7. The estimated level of effort for this task is 0.5 WYE.

8. The contractor will work on-site at NASA/GRC to develop the deliverables.

9. All GRC contractors will be bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

4.0 Tasks – Base Year

This end-item deliverable will provide the UTM project a simulation capability for study of terrestrial cellular systems (i.e. LTE/4G) applied to the UTM low-altitude UAS environment.

4.1 Pre-Cursor

a. The contractor shall perform a review of relevant documentation from the emerging UTM research in terms of expected UTM operating scenarios and C2 communications approaches.

The criteria of the review will be worked collaboratively between NASA and the contractor, but the main interest will be in providing a basis for the development UTM C2 simulation capability.

4.2 Hardware Requirements

None

4.3 Software Requirements

a. The contractor shall create terrestrial UTM communication system environments within

Riverbed Modeler. The criteria of the environments shall incorporate findings from the pre-cursor activity in Section 4.1 and, where possible, results from UTM flight testing.

b. The contractor shall perform an initial trade study of terrestrial UTM communication system environments, capable of determining potential UTM communication system performance – coverage gaps/ link availability, packet/data loss performance, link latency and other relevant parameters as determined collaboratively between NASA and the contractor. The initial trade study is to provide evaluation of the UTM communication system environments created within Riverbed Modeler.

c. The contractor shall make available the source code for environments developed in Riverbed Modeler.

4.4 Documentation

a. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the pre-cursor review in Section 4.1.

b. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the initial trade study in Section 4.3(b) in terms of evaluation of the UTM communication system environments within Riverbed Modeler.

c. The contractor shall provide all information necessary for the continued operation of the Riverbed Modeler environments.

d. The contractor shall provide monthly progress reports.

5.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance is contract award through 9/30/18, with two one-year options.

6.0 Deliverables

1 Report on review of UTM documentation (5/31/2018) 2 Report on results of initial trade study and UTM communication system environment evaluation

(9/30/18) 3 Riverbed Modeler environment for UAS satellite and terrestrial communication systems (9/30/18) 4 Source Code, where applicable 5 Monthly progress reports

7.0 Option Year 1

7.1. Tasks

7.1.1 Hardware Requirements

None

7.1.2 Software Requirements

a. The contractor shall update terrestrial UTM communication system environment models within Riverbed Modeler, based on the results of 4.3(b) and emerging UTM project findings as determined collaboratively between NASA and the contractor.

b. The contractor shall perform UAS communication system simulations within Riverbed Modeler of the UTM flight environment to enable evaluation of several UTM operational scenarios to determine potential UTM communication system performance – coverage gaps/ link availability, packet/data loss performance, link latency and other relevant parameters as determined collaboratively between NASA and the contractor. The criteria for these simulations will be coordinated between NASA and the contractor.

c. The contractor shall make available the source code for environments developed in Riverbed Modeler.

7.1.3 Documentation

a) The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the model development in

Section 7.1.2(a).

b) The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the simulations conducted in Section

7.1.2(b).

c) The contractor shall provide all information necessary for the continued operation of the

Riverbed Modeler environments.

d) The contractor shall provide monthly progress reports.

7.2 Period of Performance

The period of performance is October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.

7.3 Deliverables

1. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the model development (2/28/2019)

2. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the simulations (9/30/2019).

3. Riverbed Modeler environment for UAS satellite and terrestrial communication systems

(9/30/2019)

4. Source Code, where applicable

5. Monthly progress reports

8.0 Option Year 2

8.1. Tasks

8.1.1 Hardware Requirements

None

8.1.2 Software Requirements

a. The contractor shall update terrestrial UTM communication system environment models within Riverbed Modeler to include satellite, airborne and other possible C2 communications links in a hybrid operational environment, based on the results of 7.1.2(b) and emerging UTM project findings. The criteria for the model updates will be coordinated between NASA and the contractor.

b. The contractor shall perform UAS communication system simulations within Riverbed Modeler of the UTM hybrid communication system environment to determine performance of the UAS hybrid communication system. The criteria for these simulations will be coordinated between NASA and the contractor.

c. The contractor shall make available the source code for environments developed in Riverbed Modeler.

8.1.3 Documentation

e) The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the model development in

Section 8.1.2(a).

f) The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the simulations conducted in Section

8.1.2(b).

g) The contractor shall provide all information necessary for the continued operation of the

Riverbed Modeler environments.

h) The contractor shall provide monthly progress reports.

8.2 Period of Performance

The period of performance is October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020.

8.3 Deliverables

1. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the model development (2/28/2020)

2. The contractor shall provide a report on findings from the simulations (9/30/2020).

3. Riverbed Modeler environment for UAS satellite and terrestrial communication systems

(9/30/2020)

4. Source Code, where applicable

5. Monthly progress reports