Analyze Drone Traffic (A83_A11L.UAS.122)
The FAA’s mission is to maintain the safety of the NAS while accommodating new types of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations, and – to that end – it is important to assess the effectiveness of existing drone regulations and forecast future UAS integration needs. Using detection data, first of its kind all available data including registration, survey, surveillance and navigation, this research will provide data to support those needs by analyzing drone traffic and drone traffic collision risks at several urban locations across the NAS. Note that this research will expand upon prior work and continue efforts to analyze and understand traffic trends for UAS operations in the NAS.
POC:
Ryan Wallace
Email: wallacr3@erau.edu
Discussion:
2025 Annual Report
This annual report summarizes project activities conducted during the initial performance period of November 2024 through December 2025, supporting the FAA’s mission to maintain the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) while integrating emerging Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations. The project addresses a critical need for comprehensive, data-driven insight into existing and evolving UAS traffic trends, regulatory compliance, and collision risk. Using an unprecedented combination of detection, registration, survey, surveillance, and navigation datasets, the research builds upon prior ASSURE efforts (Projects A40, A47, A50, and A60) to characterize UAS traffic in several urban environments across the NAS.
Activities focused on analyzing current UAS operations, identifying trends in traffic evolution, and assessing potential risk within the NAS. The project evaluated adherence to Part 107 operational rules and codified attributes of regulatory exceedances. Additionally, forecasting analyses were advanced to project future drone traffic demand and associated safety considerations. Specialized sensors capable of collecting both Remote ID and ADS-B data were deployed in select locations to support aircraft-UAS encounter identification and assessment.
Preliminary findings show that most UAS activity is low-altitude, low-speed, short in duration, and conducted close to the operator, typically in low-density areas and during weekday daylight hours, which generally limits risk. However, the analysis also highlights areas needing continued attention, including data quality challenges, localized variability, operations near heliports, and a significant share of flights above UAS Facility Map grid limits. These results emphasize both the value of Remote ID for risk-informed oversight and the importance of continued data maturation, integration, and longitudinal analysis to support safe and scalable UAS integration. The findings enhance the FAA’s ability to evaluate the effectiveness of existing rules, anticipate future challenges, and refine policies that promote NAS safety.
Participating Schools
