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NASA is helping shape the future of urban air travel with a new simulation that will manage how electric air taxis and drones can successfully operate within busy areas.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The demonstration, held at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley earlier this year, focused on a system called the Strategic Deconfliction Simulation, which helps coordinate flight plans before takeoff, reducing the risk of conflicts in busy urban environments\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the event, researchers demonstrated NASA\u2019s Situational Viewer and Demand-Capacity Balancing Monitor, which visualizes air traffic and adjusts flight plans in real time. The simulation demonstrated traffic scenarios involving drone operations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, testing how preplanned flights could improve congestion and manage the demand and capacity of the airspace \u2013 ensuring that all aircraft can operate smoothly even in crowded conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Working with industry partners is critical to NASA\u2019s efforts to develop and refine technologies needed for future air mobility. During the simulation, the company, ANRA Technologies, demonstrated its fleet and vertiport management systems, which are designed to support the coordination of multiple aircraft and ground operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSimulating these complex environments supports broader efforts to ensure safe integration of drones and other advanced vehicles into the US airspace,\u201d said Hanbong Lee, engineer at NASA Ames. \u201cBy showcasing these capabilities, we\u2019re delivering critical data and lessons learned to support efforts at NASA and industry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
This demonstration is another step toward the NASA team\u2019s plan to hold a technical capability level simulation in 2026. This upcoming simulation would help shape the development of services aimed at managing aircraft flying in urban areas.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The simulation was created through a NASA team from its Air Mobility Pathfinders project, part of the agency\u2019s continuing work to find solutions for safely integrating innovative new aircraft such as air taxis into U.S. cities and the national airspace. By developing advanced evaluations and simulations, the project supports safe, scalable, and publicly trusted air travel in urban areas, paving the way for a future where air taxis and drones are a safe and reliable part of everyday life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The project falls under NASA\u2019s Airspace Operations and Safety Program, which works to enable safe and efficient aviation transportation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n