Distributing non-cooperative surveillance data: A preliminary model and evaluation of potential use cases

Current surveillance systems, in both aeronautical and maritime domains, are facing difficulties in dealing with non-cooperative objects, such as birds, weather, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), malicious users, etc. Currently these non-cooperative objects are mostly viewed as clutter and, to avoid ambiguity for the human operator and/or subsequent analysis, are removed from the displayed data. However, as the environments that command and control systems operate in become increasingly complex, these objects potentially contain very valuable information that can be used to increase the safety, security, and reliability of the system. In this paper, we present models of current and projected future operations, and identify a series of use cases for the distribution of non-cooperative objects information deprived from enhanced surveillance technologies. Based on the models, use cases and possible operational scenarios, key human factor challenges for the use of this data are identified.