The US Air Force is currently conducting an assessment of the drone traffic management system in Florida. The unmanned aircraft systems traffic management (UTM) solution is being assessed at an air force base to test its capabilities within controlled airspace.
The MacDill Air Force Base became the first Department of the Air Force installation to use UTM. The system is aimed at ensuring the safe operations of unmanned aerial vehicles alongside manned air operations, enhancing overall operational safety, according to the air force.
Air Mobility Command, or AMC, in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), began the assessment in recent weeks.
Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort
UTM is part of Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, or CLUE, which initiated in 2016 and aims to prepare the Air Force and Department of Defense to use UAS on their installations through security forces, airfield management and civil engineering .
The CLUE UTM provides air domain awareness, situational awareness and UTM operational capabilities for UAS operators, air traffic control personnel, Security Forces and other stakeholders, according to AFRL.
AFRL stated that it brought CLUE to the MacDill base in February 2022 to demonstrate its capabilities to personnel involved in UAS operations , particularly air traffic control and Security Forces.
Initial testing focused on evaluating CLUE UTM capabilities for airspace deconfliction, communication and security to enable UAS operations beyond the visual line of sight.
Since then, through collaboration with the 6th Security Forces Squadron, 6th Operations Group, AMC Airfield Operations Division and Air Force Flight Standards Agency, it has been determined that the next phase of assessment should commence.
CLUE to help air traffic controllers
Originally designed to be a DOD/Federal UAS service supplier, CLUE has been developed for two years at MacDill Air Force Base to help air traffic controllers by giving them a three-dimensional view to improve their existing procedures and allow automatic flight permission for UAS operators.
“The Collaborative Low-altitude UAS Integration Effort, or CLUE, program has reached a significant milestone by enhancing our air traffic controllers’ abilities to ensure safe integration of sUAS within DOD controlled airspace by providing Air Domain and Situational Awareness,” said Master Sgt. Robert Minor, chief controller at MacDill Tower.
In May 2024, CLUE UTM began formal operational feasibility assessment activities, accessible by the Air Traffic Control Tower, the Base Defense Operations Center and Airfield Management.
CLUE UTM is capable of integrating with various sensors
“This is a significant milestone for AMC, AFRL and the CLUE program, as the MacDill Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Defense Operations Center are first in the Air Force to operationally assess UTM capabilities,” said Phil Zaleski, AFRL CLUE program manager and Information Convergence branch chief.
“This milestone is recognized by the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, or OUSD A&S, the Office of Primary Responsibility, or OPR, for UTM within the DOD.”
According to AFRL , CLUE UTM is sensor-agnostic and capable of integrating with various sensors and systems developed to detect, track and identify UAS. At the base, this includes the Information Directorate Counter UAS systems, which are also under operational assessment.
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