Sense and avoid for small unmanned aircraft systems: Research on methods and best practices

In this study, we discuss recent advances and state-of-the-art sense-and-avoid solutions for small unmanned aircraft systems. The purpose of this paper is to equip the reader with the most up-to-date information on research and commercial efforts aimed at introducing autonomous small unmanned aircraft systems into the shared airspace. We present a broad overview of the regulatory environment, current abilities, and limitations of various sensor types as well as algorithmic and computational aspects of establishing a reliable sense-and-avoid platform. This paper reviews a substantial portion of the literature, focusing on developing reliable sense-and-avoid systems. It brings together information from various sources, including commercial drone and sensor manufacturers, regulatory agencies, as well as basic research performed in this regard. While academic and industrial research activities aimed at developing an effective sense-and-avoid system for small unmanned aircraft systems are intensifying, the current technology does not yet allow for a comprehensive solution that would enable autonomous flight. However, recent advances in hardware miniaturization, increases in computational power, and new algorithmic solutions allow us to remain optimistic about future developments.