853d Electronic 853d Electronic Systems Group Group Brief Brief er: er: Date Date : : Air Traffic Analysis at Beale Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations Operations Paul Ostwald, CAASD & Bill Hershey, 853 rd ELSG/NT (MITRE) With Tee Mans, ACC/A8US 26 April 2007
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853d Electronic Group 853d Electronic Systems Group Briefer : Date: Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Operations Paul Ostwald, CAASD.
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853d Electronic 853d Electronic Systems Group Group
Briefer:Briefer:
Date:Date:
Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Air Traffic Analysis at Beale AFB Supporting Global Hawk Supporting Global Hawk
• Background• Purpose of this briefing• Beale Air Force Base area and airspace• What does radar data show? • Overview of the 5-day traffic analysis• Radar sites represented in the traffic data• Analysis of transponding traffic (84th RADES data)• Analysis of non-transponding tracks (84th RADES data)• Analysis of stakeholders (ETMS data)• Summary of Findings• Potential application to other situations
• Provide insight into air traffic around Beale AFB:– Traffic characteristics (hourly and day-of-week variability)– Characterization of non-transponding radar returns– Stakeholder and origin/destination counts
• Document: – Potential data sources and selection of the most useful– Data filtering and processing– Types of results achievable using available data sources
• For potential future application to:– Other locations where Global Hawk could be based– Other programs, e.g., Predator– Special situations, e.g., specific Global Hawk flights
Beale Area Airspace & Airspace Subject Beale Area Airspace & Airspace Subject to a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)to a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)
What Does Radar Data Show?What Does Radar Data Show?
• Transponding Traffic– Using a beacon transponder that transmits ID & altitude– Transponder is generally required in:
• Class E airspace (portion above 10,000 feet)• Class C airspace (directly above an airfield)• “Mode C veil” (above Class C and below 10,000 feet)
– Types of transponding traffic• Discrete: squawking an assigned beacon code• VFR (Visual Flight Rules): squawking “1200” beacon code• Mixed: discrete or VFR during different portions of the flight
• Non-transponding Traffic– Not using a beacon transponder– Generates search-only returns when seen by primary radar– Not all search-only tracks are real traffic
• e.g, birds, obstructions, and other “noise”
– Not all radars can measure altitude for search-only tracks
• Objectives:– Reject tracks unlikely to be aircraft– Highlight non-transponding traffic close to TFR boundary
• Analysis process (successive filtering steps):– Used the 15-19 May 2006 sample from 84th RADES – Selected predominantly tracks from search-only radar returns– Selected tracks coming within a 20 nmi radius of Beale AFB– Identified “good” tracks likely to represent real aircraft, i.e.,
• At least 10 radar returns (about two minutes)• Visual examination of path for speed, altitude, linearity, etc.
– Of the good tracks, identified those close to Class C airspace and proposed TFR boundary, i.e., just outside a 10 nmi radius• These represent potential conflicts with Global Hawk
Analysis of Non-Transponding TracksAnalysis of Non-Transponding Tracks (84th RADES Data)(84th RADES Data)
• Many/most 84th RADES non-transponding tracks do NOT appear to be actual aircraft, due to characteristics such as:– Very short duration
– Very long duration, largely stationary
– Largely stationary at or near a known obstacle
– Many with height (as determined by the radar) above 10,000’
• In 5 days of data, less than 30 “reasonable” tracks were identified that were likely to be real, non-transponding aircraft (see three examples, following slide)
• Unable to verify any non-transponding aircraft entered the airspace reserved for transponder-equipped aircraft due to lack of altitude data, but some flew very close laterally.
• Other anomalies were also observed, possibly due to data filtering by 84th RADES.
Observations on 84Observations on 84th th RADES Tracks that RADES Tracks that are Not Likely to be Aircraftare Not Likely to be Aircraft
• Most search-only tracks are not aircraft • Examined all search-only tracks within 10 nmi radius of Beale
AFB, here shown as hourly counts over the five days of data:
15 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 19 MayHour
TrackCount
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
3 9 15 21 3 9 15 21 3 9 15 21 3 9 15 21 3 9 15 21
• No clear pattern from day-to-day• No clear pattern within each day• Counts include many very short tracks• Peaks and lulls can occur any time of day• Peak of over 70 per hour
Analysis of Stakeholders Analysis of Stakeholders (Enhanced Traffic Management System Data)(Enhanced Traffic Management System Data)
• Objective: Determine characteristics of other airspace users near Beale.– Aircraft type– Air carrier breakdown– Origin and destination airports
• ETMS data came from the CAASD Repository System– Same five day period (15-19 May 2006) as the 84th RADES data– Aircraft transmitting a discrete beacon code for part or all of the track– Contains aircraft ID, type, origin and destination airports – Tracks from FAA’s Oakland Center (ZOA) and Northern CA TRACON– Does not include military or most VFR traffic (with 1200 beacon codes)– Data frequency is one position per minute, less often than 84th RADES data
• Analysis process– Selected all tracks that were
• within a 10 nmi radius cylinder centered on Beale AFB• below 18,000’
Summary of FindingsSummary of Findings8484thth RADES Data RADES Data
• Transponding Traffic– Day-of-week
• Some variation seen, mid-week busier, all days with over 200 tracks• 5 days (Monday – Friday) limited sample – not a reliable indicator
– Time-of-day• “Off hours” of 1900 – 0800 not too busy (under 10 tracks per hour) • Morning (0800 – 1100) consistently busy (all hours with over 10 tracks)• Other hours (1100 – 1900) slightly less busy overall (mostly 10 – 20 tracks)• Afternoon spikes of very busy 1 – 2 hour periods occur (30 tracks)
– Altitude• Discrete beacon traffic distributed across all altitudes (surface to 18,000’)• Many aircraft are transitioning altitudes• Non-discrete (VFR traffic) are mostly below 10,000’• Short tracks (less than 10 returns) are almost exclusively below 4100’
• Non-transponding traffic– Many/most non-transponding tracks do NOT appear to be actual aircraft– A small number (less than 5 per day) do appear to be aircraft tracks – Further analysis might identify some additional non-transponding tracks
Potential Application to Other Potential Application to Other SituationsSituations
• Details of the process (computer programs, data structures, and analysis steps) are being documented for easy replication
• Similar analyses could be applied to:– Other locations where Global Hawk could be based– Analysis of specific flights – Other programs (e.g., Predator)
• Once mission parameters are programmed into Global Hawk, the UAV can autonomously taxi, take off, fly, remain on station capturing imagery, return and land.
• Ground-based operators monitor UAV health and status, and can change navigation and sensor plans during flight as necessary.
• During a typical mission, the aircraft can fly 1,200 miles to an area of interest and remain on station for 24 hours.