Sense and Avoid in UAVs with ADS-B Receiver

The exponential growth in the professional drone industry brings several obstacles for the aerospace and aeronautical sector. Due to this fast growth, one of the main challenges in the industry is to avoid the collision possibility between UAVs or with other air vehicles in the same territory or route. For this reason, it is necessary to establish new rules that regulate the operation in controlled airspace, as well as in other areas of UAV operation. These should allow safe airspace, making the air environment safe, feasible, profitable and homonymous. Companies like Embention integrate ADS-B receivers as a way to create safe airspace.

How does an ADS-B receiver work?

The ADS-B transponder (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) permits vehicles to safely share common airspace by transmitting the aircraft position calculated thanks to the use of GNSS signals. In this way, ADS-B receivers can obtain the position of other aircraft flying nearby. It makes for the pilot or the operator to execute a safe UAV mission avoiding the risk of collision with other vehicles. This fact makes it an indispensable element for flight safety in air transport systems: UAVs, drones, manned aircraft, etc. These ADS-B systems are already mandatory for Drone operations in some countries. And in many others, it is being regulated to establish it as an essential safety system for any UAV operation.

Veronte, developed by Embention, integrates within its functions the compatibility of the drone control systems with ADS-B receivers. This integration permits the use of ADS-B signal for the detection of other nearby aircraft and the use of Sense & Avoid algorithms in the Veronte Autopilot 1x to completely avoid any kind of collision.

Sense & Avoid algorithms in Veronte Autopilot 1x

These algorithms allow us to distinguish obstacles and avoid them within our operation field. Thanks to the detection provided by ADS-B systems, the autopilot can evade the moving obstacle fully autonomously. For this, Veronte Autopilot 1x will draw a virtual force field surrounding the aircraft to avoid so it repels the Veronte-controlled aircraft avoiding the mid-air collision.

This action implemented in the Autopilot for the Sense & Avoid makes an automatic evasion maneuver and identifies as the most optimal direction to continue with its predefined route, minimizing the necessary route to avoid collision with the other aircraft.

ADS-B receiver compatibility with Veronte Autopilot

There is a wide range of high-reliability ADS-B systems compatible with Sense & Avoid algorithms in Veronte Autopilot. Sagetech, Aerobits or UAVionix modules are an optimal option for the integration of Sense & Avoid in drones.