Enterprise Architecting Applied to Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integration into Low-Altitude Urban Airspace

Integrating small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) represents a challenging problem set that requires consideration through multiple lenses. Rather than focusing solely on the technological limitations of sUAS operation, this work employs the Architecting Innovative Enterprise Strategy (ARIES) Framework to understand the current and future landscapes for the NAS. The authors use the ARIES elements to holistically describe the current architecture that allows for limited sUAS operations in low-altitude urban airspace. The goal of this work is to develop a level 1 CONOPS as a first step toward a complete enterprise architecture. By identifying current limitations and incorporating emerging concepts and technologies, the authors develop a realistic envisioned future. This future seeks to address externalities that emerge from the increased use of sUAS near the general public. Specific externalities include safety, security, privacy, and transparency concerns. The envisioned future relies on airborne systems to detect and avoid manned aircraft and utilizes an unmanned traffic management system for information sharing and flight coordination. It requires significant investment in developing a shared database to manage unmanned vehicle operations while providing the structure and functions required to make sUAS operations feasible, considering constraints, externalities, and public acceptance.