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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Kaona: Deep Searching and Curating Data from Aviation Safety Reporting Systems

Context: Several works in the literature have examined how safety narrative databases can be leveraged to share lessons learned. However, less attention has been given to augmenting existing processes for mining these safety reporting system databases. Aim: In this work, we introduce Kaona: An interface that weaves machine learning in existing aviation safety database mining activities. Method: We provide a use case of search, curation and newsletter writing to showcase how Kaona features build on existing processes and on its own to enhance information retrieval, curation and synthesis of narratives. Results: We created two instances of Kaona internally for evaluation, one using publicly available NASA’s ASRS narratives and another using publicly available C3RS narratives. Data ranged from 1998 to 2024. Conclusion: Our tool provides a new way to explore safety narratives, serving to re-imagine how text databases can benefit of novel information retrieval mechanisms in the era of large language models.

ASRS↗
NASA NTRS2002

An Analysis of U.S. Civil Rotorcraft Accidents by Cost and Injury (1990-1996)

A study of rotorcraft accidents was conducted to identify safety issues and research areas that might lead to a reduction in rotorcraft accidents and fatalities. The primary source of data was summaries of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports. From 1990 to 1996, the NTSB documented 1396 civil rotorcraft accidents in the United States in which 491 people were killed. The rotorcraft data were compared to airline and general aviation data to determine the relative safety of rotorcraft compared to other segments of the aviation industry. In depth analysis of the rotorcraft data addressed demographics, mission, and operational factors. Rotorcraft were found to have an accident rate about ten times that of commercial airliners and about the same as that of general aviation. The likelihood that an accident would be fatal was about equal for all three classes of operation. The most dramatic division in rotorcraft accidents is between flights flown by private pilots versus professional pilots. Private pilots, flying low cost aircraft in benign environments, have accidents that are due, in large part, to their own errors. Professional pilots, in contrast, are more likely to have accidents that are a result of exacting missions or use of specialized equipment. For both groups judgement error is more likely to lead to a fatal accident than are other types of causes. Several approaches to improving the rotorcraft accident rate are recommended. These mostly address improvement in the training of new pilots and improving the safety awareness of private pilots.

Iseler, Laura↗
NASA NTRS2007

NASA Tech Briefs, March 2007

Topics include: Advanced Systems for Monitoring Underwater Sounds; Wireless Data-Acquisition System for Testing Rocket Engines; Processing Raw HST Data With Up-to-Date Calibration Data; Mobile Collection and Automated Interpretation of EEG Data; System for Secure Integration of Aviation Data; Servomotor and Controller Having Large Dynamic Range; Digital Multicasting of Multiple Audio Streams; Translator for Optimizing Fluid-Handling Components; AIRSAR Web-Based Data Processing; Pattern Matcher for Trees Constructed From Lists; Reducing a Knowledge-Base Search Space When Data Are Missing; Ground-Based Correction of Remote-Sensing Spectral Imagery; State-Chart Autocoder; Pointing History Engine for the Spitzer Space Telescope; Low-Friction, High-Stiffness Joint for Uniaxial Load Cell; Magnet-Based System for Docking of Miniature Spacecraft; Electromechanically Actuated Valve for Controlling Flow Rate; Plumbing Fixture for a Microfluidic Cartridge; Camera Mount for a Head-Up Display; Core-Cutoff Tool; Recirculation of Laser Power in an Atomic Fountain; Simplified Generation of High-Angular-Momentum Light Beams; Imaging Spectrometer on a Chip; Interferometric Quantum-Nondemolition Single-Photon Detectors; Ring-Down Spectroscopy for Characterizing a CW Raman Laser; Complex Type-II Interband Cascade MQW Photodetectors; Single-Point Access to Data Distributed on Many Processors; Estimating Dust and Water Ice Content of the Martian Atmosphere From THEMIS Data; Computing a Stability Spectrum by Use of the HHT; Theoretical Studies of Routes to Synthesis of Tetrahedral N4; Estimation Filter for Alignment of the Spitzer Space Telescope; Antenna for Measuring Electric Fields Within the Inner Heliosphere; Improved High-Voltage Gas Isolator for Ion Thruster; and Hybrid Mobile Communication Networks for Planetary Exploration.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2024

Assessment of Some IASMS-relevant Data Sources for Aviation Safety

An In-time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS) [1,2] is a set of services, functions, and capabilities (SFCs) necessary for monitoring known hazards and emergent risks, assessing safety data for anomalies, precursors, and trends, mitigating hazards that reach safety thresholds, and assuring efficacy of controls in mitigating hazards. An IASMS will continually monitor the NAS to collect data on the status of aircraft, air traffic management systems, weather, and airports. Within the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) System-Wide Safety (SWS) project’s technical challenge called In-time Aviation Safety Management Systems (IASMS) for Commercial Aviation Operations, which we often refer to as Technical Challenge 6 (TC-6), we have performed an assessment of several aviation data sources we have found that are relevant to assessing the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) in the context of an IASMS. This assessment includes understanding the nature of the data themselves and using some data analytics tools on these data to show how they can be used to identify potential safety issues. We also describe how the data and analytics are part of a system that can allow for other data and analytics to be performed and for the results to be visualized for use by appropriate operators to identify potential safety issues and develop mitigations. This report is a step toward the ultimate goal of TC-6, which is to develop a prototype IASMS system that demonstrates the potential of an IASMS and inspire operators to build analogous systems to make the best possible use of the significant investments that they make in collecting, storing, and managingdata related to their operations.

aviation safety↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Multi-Class Anomaly Detection in Flight Data using Semi-Supervised Explainable Deep Learning Model

Identifying precursor for safety incidents in aviation data is a crucial task, yet extremely challenging. The main approach, in practice, leverages domain expertise to define expected tolerances in system’s behavior and alarm exceedance from such safety margins. However, this approach is incapable of identifying unknown risk and vulnerabilities. Machine learning has been long studied and deployed to identify precursors for such anomalies, with the great challenge of the need for sufficient labelled set of data to achieve a reliable and accurate performance. In this article, we develop an explainable deep semi-supervised model for anomaly detection in aviation, building upon recent advancements in the machine learning literature. The proposed model combines feature engineering and classification in the feature space, while leveraging all available data (labelled and unlabeled). Validating on two case studies of anomaly detection in take-off and landing phases of commercial aircraft, we show that our model is able to outperform state-of-the-art supervised anomaly detection model and reach significantly high accuracy and low false alarm with minimum amount of available labelled data.

Anomaly Detection↗
NASA NTRS1980

Analysis of general aviation single-pilot IFR incident data obtained from the NASA aviation safety reporting system

Data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) data base were used to determine problems in general aviation single pilot IFR operations. The data examined consisted of incident reports involving flight safety in the National Aviation System. Only those incidents involving general aviation fixed wing aircraft flying under IFR in instrument meteorological conditions were analyzed. The data were cataloged into one of five major problem areas: (1) controller judgement and response problems; (2) pilot judgement and response problems; (3) air traffic control intrafacility and interfacility conflicts; (4) ATC and pilot communications problems; and (5) IFR-VFR conflicts. The significance of the related problems, and the various underlying elements associated with each are discussed. Previous ASRS reports covering several areas of analysis are reviewed.

Bergeron, H. P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Issues Involved in the Development of an Open Standard for Data Link of Aviation Weather Information

This paper describes how an effective and efficient data link system for the dissemination of aviation weather information could be constructed. The system is built upon existing 'open standard' foundations drawn from current aviation and computer technologies. Issues of communications protocols and application data formats are discussed. The proposed aviation weather data link system is dependent of the actual link mechanism selected.

Grappel, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Internet over the VDL-2 Subnetwork: the VDL-2/IP Aviation Datalink System

This report describes the design to operate the standard Internet communications protocols (IP) over the VHF aviation Data Link Mode 2 (VDL-2) subnetwork. The VDL-2/IP system specified in this report can operate transparently with the current aviation users of VDL-2 (Airline Communications and Reporting System, ACARS and Aeronautical Telecommunications Network, ATN) and proposed users (Flight Information Service via Broadcast, FIS-B). The VDL-2/IP system provides a straightforward mechanisms to utilize inexpensive, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) communications packages developed for the Internet as part of the aviation datalink system.

Grappel, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Analysis of general aviation single-pilot IFR incident data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

An analysis of incident data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) has been made to determine the problem areas in general aviation single-pilot IFR (SPIFR) operations. The Aviation Safety Reporting System data base is a compilation of voluntary reports of incidents from any person who has observed or been involved in an occurrence which was believed to have posed a threat to flight safety. This paper examines only those reported incidents specifically related to general aviation single-pilot IFR operations. The frequency of occurrence of factors related to the incidents was the criterion used to define significant problem areas and, hence, to suggest where research is needed. The data was cataloged into one of five major problem areas: (1) controller judgment and response problems, (2) pilot judgment and response problems, (3) air traffic control (ATC) intrafacility and interfacility conflicts, (4) ATC and pilot communication problems, and (5) IFR-VFR conflicts. In addition, several points common to all or most of the problems were observed and reported. These included human error, communications, procedures and rules, and work load.

Bergeron, H. P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Towards an Aviation Large Language Model by Fine-tuning and Evaluating Transformers

In the aviation domain, there are many applications for machine learning and artificial intelligence tools that utilize natural language. For example, there is a desire to know the commonalities in written safety reports such as voluntary post incidents reports or aerial wildfire operations reports to better understand the risks present. Another use-case is the possibility of extracting airspace procedures and constraints currently written in documents such as Letters of Agreement. These applications can benefit from the use of state-of-the-art natural language processing techniques when adapted to the language/phraseology specific to the aviation domain. This paper evaluates the viability of adaptation of NLP tools to the aviation domain by fine-tuning transformer based models using aviation data sets. In 2018, a novel language model based on neural units (also called transformers) was created and became known as “Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers” or BERT. This architecture combined with large amounts of English training data and innovative semi-supervised training tasks set the standard for what would later emerge as Large Language Models. The performance of these models was further improved by hyperparameter tuning and refinement of the semi-supervised training task and resulted in “Robustly Optimized BERT Pre-training Approach through hyperparameter tuning” or RoBERTa models. These pre-trained Large Language Models proved to be useful for a wide variety of natural language processing tasks such as text classification and question answering through a process called fine-tuning. The transformer architecture with pre-trained weights served as the basis with the last few layers replaced with layers fine-tuned to perform a new task e.g., a layer that provides a label for the entire input text. This process of fine-tuning can also be used to adapt the models to new domains; e.g., BioBERT started with the pre-trained BERT model and was completed by additional fine-tuning and training on biomedical documents. Transformer-based architectures can also be used to create rich representations of text called embeddings which can serve as the input to other machine learning models. This allows simpler algorithms such as logistic regression to use context-rich representations of the text while still remaining quick to train and evaluate. In the world of aviation, there is a growing demand for natural language processing and understanding but the domain presents unique challenges. Due to the technical content (and specialized language) of most aviation documents, fine-tuning pre-trained Large Language Models to specific tasks has not met the benchmark on natural language processing tasks set by simpler models trained from scratch on the data. To address this deficiency, this paper evaluates the improvements from fine-tuning a Large Language Model on a large set of aviation documents using the original semi-supervised training tasks before performing specific natural language tasks. In fine-tuning, a domain-specific dataset is used on the original training task but with the pre-trained Large Language Model instead of starting from a random initialization. This approach allows the model to be adapted to the specific domain language without discarding the information gained from training on general English data. This paper utilized two major dataset types to train and assess the RoBERTa fine-tuning performance. The first are 7,057 Letters of Agreement which are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents that formalize airspace operations across the national airspace system. They contain many examples of ‘aviation English’ using domain specific terminology and phrasing which serves as a representative basis to perform the semi-supervised fine-tuning. The second type is the 494 document classification labels to be used for evaluation. This down-stream evaluation aims to show the performance of the fine-tuned model, better understand how much data is needed for an effective fine-tuning, and how fine-tuning can be adapted for different applications in-the domain. After semi-supervised training, evaluation begins by encoding the documents for classification using the fine-tuned RoBERTa model. Then a logistic regression classifier is trained to label the document type and compared against our ground truth labels. This currently leads to a 82.8% accuracy on 10-fold cross validation showing improvement over baseline RoBERTa which achieved 81.0%. We plan to measure the improvements on additional tasks and it is expected that these improvements will lead to more robust models that can tackle the natural language processing challenges present in aviation datasets.

ATM↗
NASA NTRS2012

Bootstrap Prediction Intervals in Non-Parametric Regression with Applications to Anomaly Detection

Prediction intervals provide a measure of the probable interval in which the outputs of a regression model can be expected to occur. Subsequently, these prediction intervals can be used to determine if the observed output is anomalous or not, conditioned on the input. In this paper, a procedure for determining prediction intervals for outputs of nonparametric regression models using bootstrap methods is proposed. Bootstrap methods allow for a non-parametric approach to computing prediction intervals with no specific assumptions about the sampling distribution of the noise or the data. The asymptotic fidelity of the proposed prediction intervals is theoretically proved. Subsequently, the validity of the bootstrap based prediction intervals is illustrated via simulations. Finally, the bootstrap prediction intervals are applied to the problem of anomaly detection on aviation data.

Kumar, Sricharan↗
NASA NTRS1975

On the problem of radar effectiveness of discriminating thunderstorms and clouds

Data are presented on the effectiveness of detecting clouds (within a radius of 40 km) and thunderstorms (within a radius of 300 km) with the aid of instrumental (WR) and visual (weather station net) observations in the operational service of aviation. Data obtained on a large statistical sample confirm the very great effectiveness of the radar method of observations for thunderstorms and clouds with precipitation. The origin of certain probabilities for detecting stratiform clouds without precipitation which are small compared with the data of other authors is explained.

Allenov, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Overcoming the Challenges of Data Integration and Automation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are gaining increased attention as a way to leverage the world's data to solve problems. Although AI and ML offer much potential, there are often misconceptions about the application of such techniques. This panel discussion includes speakers from airlines and the research community who will present machine learning approaches they have developed on a variety of aviation data including digital flight data, safety reporting data, and traffic flow data. They will explain the purpose of the application, the data used, and the lessons learned in the development and deployment of their solutions. The panel discussion will focus on common pitfalls in developing and AI solution, the dangers of the current hype around AI, tips for gaining value from a machine learning solution, how to determine whether a machine learning approach is appropriate for a problem, and more.

Matthews, Bryan L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Communication Demand in the National Airspace - A Federated Learning Approach

Within the national airspace system (NAS), efficient use of spectrum remains a challenge; as UAS and UAM missions evolve, the amount of mission-critical aircraft communications are expected to significantly grow. To accommodate the increased demand, NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating artificial intelligence approaches that could dynamically allocate spectrum; however, these solutions are driven by communication and aviation data items, many of which are not directly available. One such cornerstone data item is communication demand, parameterizing the needs within a sector in terms that may directly inform spectrum allocation, such as channel access duration, bandwidth, and modulation type. This paper considers the complexity of predicting communication demand as a function of NAS behaviors. Unlike prior prediction work in communications, this research must consider how the NAS may be impacted by external factors - such as convective weather and closures - rather than estimating demand from time-series forecasting alone. Much of this research considers a federated learning design to predict communication events in terms of the type of event occurring (sector coordination, conflict resolution, etc.). To do so, an investigation of products from Sherlock Data Warehouse is conducted, identifying the trends, sufficiency, and correlations of each product to identified events. Additionally, a preliminary discussion for inferring associations between these event types and their communication parameters (duration, bandwidth, modulation) is presented. By utilizing federated learning, imbalances in the types of events and data present throughout the NAS can inform local models without impairing global training. Furthermore, the two-stage approach proposed allows for robust and speculative communication modelling, as communication techniques continue to evolve. As a result, this model enables a generalized approach to understanding NAS communications which is able to inform long-term changes to aviation spectrum management.

Nathan Schimpf↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Federated Learning Approach to Predicting Communication Demand in the National Airspace

Within the national airspace system (NAS), efficient use of spectrum remains a challenge; as UAS and UAM missions evolve, the amount of mission-critical aircraft communications are expected to significantly grow. To accommodate the increased demand, NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating artificial intelligence approaches that could dynamically allocate spectrum; however, these solutions are driven by communication and aviation data items, many of which are not directly available. One such cornerstone data item is communication demand, parameterizing the needs within a sector in terms that may directly inform spectrum allocation, such as channel access duration, bandwidth, and modulation type. This paper considers the complexity of predicting communication demand as a function of NAS behaviors. Unlike prior prediction work in communications, this research must consider how the NAS may be impacted by external factors - such as convective weather and closures - rather than estimating demand from time-series forecasting alone. Much of this research considers a federated learning design to predict communication events in terms of the type of event occurring (sector coordination, conflict resolution, etc). To do so, an investigation of products from Sherlock Data Warehouse is conducted, identifying the trends, sufficiency, and correlations of each product to identified events. Additionally, a preliminary discussion for inferring associations between these event types and their communication parameters (duration, bandwidth, modulation) is presented. By utilizing federated learning, imbalances in the types of events and data present throughout the NAS can inform local models without impairing global training. Furthermore, the two-stage approach proposed allows for robust and speculative communication modelling, as communication techniques continue to evolve. As a result, this model enables a generalized approach to understanding NAS communications which is able to inform long-term changes to aviation spectrum management.

Nathan Schimpf↗
NASA NTRS2019

Advancing the Standards for Unmanned Air System Communications, Navigation and Surveillance

Under NASA program NNA16BD84C, new architectures were identified and developed for supporting reliable and secure Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) needs for Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) operating in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace. An analysis of architectures for the two categories of airspace and an implementation technology readiness analysis were performed. These studies produced NASA reports that have been made available in the public domain and have been briefed in previous conferences. We now consider how the products of the study are influencing emerging directions in the aviation standards communities. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Communications Panel (CP), Working Group I (WG-I) is currently developing a communications network architecture known as the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network with Internet Protocol Services (ATN/IPS). The target use case for this service is secure and reliable Air Traffic Management (ATM) for manned aircraft operating in controlled airspace. However, the work is more and more also considering the emerging class of airspace users known as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), which refers to certain UAS classes. In addition, two Special Committees (SCs) in the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) are developing Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) and Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for UAS. RTCA SC-223 is investigating an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) and AeroMACS aviation data link for interoperable (INTEROP) UAS communications. Meanwhile, RTCA SC-228 is working to develop Detect And Avoid (DAA) equipment and a Command and Control (C2) Data Link MOPS establishing LBand and C-Band solutions. These RTCA Special Committees along with ICAO CP WG/I are therefore overlapping in terms of the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) alternatives they are seeking to provide for an integrated manned- and unmanned air traffic management service as well as remote pilot command and control. This paper presents UAS CNS architecture concepts developed under the NASA program that apply to all three of the aforementioned committees. It discusses the similarities and differences in the problem spaces under consideration in each committee, and considers the application of a common set of CNS alternatives that can be widely applied. As the works of these committees progress, it is clear that the overlap will need to be addressed to ensure a consistent and safe framework for worldwide aviation. In this study, we discuss similarities and differences in the various operational models and show how the CNS architectures developed under the NASA program apply.

Ponchak, Denise S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Assessing the feasibility, cost, and utility of developing models of human performance in aviation

The purpose of the effort outlined in this briefing was to determine whether models exist or can be developed that can be used to address aviation automation issues. A multidisciplinary team has been assembled to undertake this effort, including experts in human performance, team/crew, and aviation system modeling, and aviation data used as input to such models. The project consists of two phases, a requirements assessment phase that is designed to determine the feasibility and utility of alternative modeling efforts, and a model development and evaluation phase that will seek to implement the plan (if a feasible cost effective development effort is found) that results from the first phase. Viewgraphs are given.

Stillwell, William↗