NASA is hereby requesting information through this notice from interested parties for Industry and other potential partners to participate in the Automated Flight and Contingency Management (AFCM) Subproject of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Project. Background NOTE: This RFI is functionally identical to RFI 80AFRC20SS018 and respondents to this earlier RFI are not expected to reply to this update unless they have additional information they would like to share. Responses to the current and previous RFI will be used by NASA to help formulate an “Announcement of Collaborative Partnership Opportunities” (ACO) for the second event in the National Campaign series (i.e. NC-2). The NC-2 ACO is expected to include an Annex soliciting collaborative partnerships for AFCM technologies, testing, and system certification considerations. This ACO is expected to be released in January 2021. To accelerate the development of the highly-automated and increasingly autonomous aircraft functions and systems essential to UAM Maturity Level 4 (e.g., see figure 1) for passenger-carrying UAM operations, NASA is initiating a research effort focused on AFCM within the AAM project. The goals of AFCM are to develop and validate key aircraft automation functions and companion candidate certification methods that safely enable simplified piloting and high-density flight operations in low-visibility conditions (e.g. instrument meteorological conditions) and obstacle challenged surroundings. As outlined in figure 2, NASA intends for the activities of AFCM to mature technologies and processes relevant to these goals and also support integrated flight-validation of these technologies in a relevant environment in partnership with the “Integration of Automation Systems” (IAS) element of the National Campaign (NC)”. IAS is planned to support integrated flight tests and validation of AFCM technologies in the context of the broader UAM system and provides a potential “on-ramp” for advanced technologies to be included in the NC series. Additional background on expected IAS and NC activities is described in the recorded presentation at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcwlMkYRXdc&feature=youtu.be With this RFI, we are particularly interested in responses from potential partners who fall into one or more of the following three categories: Working to develop and commercialize component/sub-system technologies relevant to the AFCM capabilities described below; Working to develop and commercialize integrated systems (e.g. an integrated flight deck and supporting automation) relevant to the goals of AFCM described below; Developers of UAM aircraft who are currently, or are expecting to, integrate AFCM-like capabilities into their aircraft and are interested in partnering with NASA in the conduct of integrated flight evaluations of the combined aircraft/automation/pilot system as part of planned IAS flight test activities. NASA envisions working with partners through cost-sharing partnerships for the development and evaluation of AFCM technologies. AFCM Description In the AFCM subproject, NASA intends to emphasize the following technical areas: Highly-augmented flight controls for simplified vehicle control and integrated envelope protection. Robust, fail-operational controls are expected to be essential for both direct management of the aircraft trajectory by a pilot and execution of trajectory commands originating from outer-loop automation functions. Pilot inceptor and primary flight display systems for simplified handling qualities; Comprehensive pilot-automation teaming and associated interaction and interface concepts for UML-4; Highly-reliable flight management systems for UAM aircraft and operations. It is expected that UML-4 operations require high-assurance flight management systems with full-mission capability from takeoff to touchdown and digital connectivity to a UAM airspace management system; External hazard detection and perception systems compatible with urban flight operations including surveillance of cooperative and non-cooperative traffic, uncharted obstructions, weather, and vertiport surface hazards; Increasingly automated trajectory planning and management functions for nominal and contingency situations Mixed initiative (automation and human team) functions and corresponding interfaces for situation assessment and pilot decision support in nominal and contingency situations. Comprehensive avionics architectures and methods of assurance consistent with UML-4; Cybersecurity strategies for vehicles and operations that are compatible with the balance of confidentiality, integrity and availability for differing operating concepts at UML-4. Integrated certification frameworks and strategies for novel human-automation systems under the non-traditional operational paradigms expected at UML-4. Integration of human-aircraft automation teaming concepts and associated automation capabilities into the broader UAM system. This area includes development and evaluation of UAM flight procedures, integration between aircraft and airspace system automation and integration between flight systems and ground infrastructure such as vertiport automation. The AFCM subproject intends to progressively develop and integrate these capabilities into a prototype system that demonstrates core requirements and capabilities for UML-4 operations and allows for the collection of ground and flight data in simulation and flight test. The data collected will support the acceleration of certification and operational approval of these capabilities for commercial operations. The build-up of capabilities is expected to lead to integrated ground development and flight evaluations that will correspond to various points in the timeline shown in figure 2. Ground development activities include a combination of concept formulation, analysis, and experimental testing with an emphasis on human-in-the-loop testing in NASA’s simulation laboratories and high-fidelity motion-base simulators. By working with industry partners during these evaluations and modeling and/or integrating prototype systems into our activities, we expect to increase both the scope and relevance of this research to the UAM community FAA Coordination NASA and the FAA are in the process of establishing a cross-agency Research Transition Team (RTT) for Advanced Air Mobility with an initial focus on UAM. This includes a work group focused on Vehicle Automation Concepts and Technologies. The charter of this work group includes: a) assessment and development of automation concepts for AAM; b) maturation of critical automation technologies; and c) development certification and implementation strategies including simplified vehicle operations and associated pilot qualification standards. Activities and findings from the AFCM and IAS activities are expected to help inform this work group. RFI Response Instructions We request submissions of up to fifteen pages in response to this RFI. Your submission should consider the questions/topics below and include other information you feel is important. We are interested in receiving responses from across the UAM ecosystem and are especially interested in responses from companies or organizations falling into one of the three categories described in the background section (e.g. see topic 3 below). Suggested content for RFI responses: Your organizations concepts of operation, areas of investment, concerns and significant assumptions relative to requirements and development of aircraft automation supporting expected UML-4 operations. The following topics may be relevant to your response: Your organization’s strategy for developing and/or utilizing aircraft automation technologies that are relevant to progressing from the present to UML-4. Planned developments between the present and 2030 are of particular interest. The expected roles of human agents (if any) and human-automation teaming objectives for aircraft flight operations at UML-4. Human agents may be on- or off-board the aircraft. Changes in the roles, responsibility, skills, and knowledge of the “Pilot in Command” as currently defined in CFR 14 Chapter 1 and the future UML-4 stage are of particular interest. Identification of key technological challenges considering all phases of flight including any significant pre- and post-flight operations. Challenges could also consider capabilities that may rely on machine learning or artificial intelligence capabilities such as perception of external hazards and adaptive systems. Specific technologies and/or integrated systems your organization is developing that are relevant to commercial UAM aircraft and operations. Your assumptions regarding the aircraft interactions and responsibilities in the broader airspace system and how these could be implemented. Similarly, a description of airspace services expected to support individual aircraft operations (e.g. information from off-board navigation or surveillance systems) Strategies for system verification and validation throughout the system lifecycle (e.g. design, development, certification, operational monitoring, and continuing airworthiness). Strategies for achieving full regulatory recognition of vehicle automation capabilities across the relevant parts of CFR 14 Chapter I (e.g. Parts 23, 61, 91, 119, 135, etc) and if appropriate, complimentary changes to relevant pilot certification and experience requirements in CFR 14, Chapter I. Provide your thoughts on high-priority areas for NASA activities that would most effectively accelerate the development of automation capabilities and in particular, provide feedback on the AFCM areas described earlier, including areas you believe are omitted or under emphasized. Responses may consider both overall benefits to the UAM ecosystem and your organization’s specific interests. For companies and organizations falling into one or more of the three potential partnership categories described earlier, provide your thoughts on potential partnership activities with NASA. Consider any specific NASA facilities or capabilities of particular interest to your organization. This might include facilities such as the Vertical Motion Simulators; flight-test ranges for on-board and remotely piloted aircraft; computational and experimental modeling and simulation capabilities; and the diverse range of subject matter experts at NASA. For technology developers: Describe the tests or other activities you’d like to conduct leveraging NASA capabilities and/or expertise to develop and validate or concept with a particular emphasis on the development of standards or other methods of compliance essential to certification of the concept and which would have potential to address questions relevant to the broader UAM community. For integrated system developers: Describe the activities you’d like to conduct leveraging NASA capabilities and/or expertise to help develop a certification pathway for the integrated system. Of particular interest are activities relevant to novel, human-automation systems and generating data and test results informing the development of standards and/or certification strategies that support the safe, appropriate migration of pilot functions, and corresponding responsibilities, that have high workload, high specialized training requirements, or are a recurring contributor to serious accidents, from the pilot to automation. For vehicle developers: Describe your interests in partnering with NASA in the context of flight test activities such as the IAS activities shown in figure 2. Provide your thoughts on the goals and objectives of these tests and how the results would help inform the development of things like standards and policies supporting the foundational updates to airworthiness and pilot certification process that are essential to enabling UML-4. Describe flight assets you would consider supporting for the test and your expectations for NASA’s contributions to the activity. Potential activities integrating partners across categories a, b, and c above are of particular interest. Please provide anything other information that you feel is relevant. The information received in response to this RFI will be used to help NASA plan, advocate, and prioritize future activities in this area; at this time, it has not been determined if a Request for Proposals will be issued in this area. All RFI responses should be submitted to Mr. Kenneth Goodrich, via electronic mail, at
[email protected]. Responses are due not later than 4:00 p.m. ET, January 22, 2021 . NASA will not publicly disclose Respondents’ proprietary information obtained in response to this RFI. Proprietary and export-controlled information should be marked appropriately in your response. To the full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations, information identified by a Respondent as “Proprietary or Confidential” will be kept confidential. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ANY RFI RESPONSE. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the beta.sam.gov and/or NASA Acquisition Internet Service websites. It is the responsibility of any potential offerors/bidders to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. The graphic figures will be shown in the attachement.