Alerting logic for multi-mode conflict detection and prevention in autonomous aircraft operations

NASA is developing a concept for far-term implementation of Free Flight in en-route airspace. The research concept introduces a new category of flight operations - Autonomous Flight Rules (AFR). Properly trained flight crews of AFRequipped aircraft possess the authority to autonomously plan and execute their preferred 4D trajectories, provided they accept responsibility for maintaining separation from traffic and conforming to ground-uplinked traffic flow management (TFM) constraints. Flight crews are supported in performing these tasks by decision-support automation integrated into the flight deck. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center are developing a prototype of this decision-support system, called the Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP).