Simulating the use of Dynamic Airspace Reconfiguration to Support Integrated Crewed and Uncrewed Aircraft Operations

With the growth of Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) operations there is a clear need to ensure safe separation between traditional crewed aircraft and uncrewed traffic, while maximising the operational efficiency of both. Accordingly, the European Commission has specified requirements for dynamic airspace reconfiguration in its U-space regulation for facilitating UAS operations in Europe. In this paper we use Monte Carlo methods in simulation to explore the implications of using a Dynamic Airspace Reconfiguration (DAR) on UAS operations in the vicinity of an airport. Four scenarios are simulated varying the subset of operations that are modified to account for a DAR when it is announced - including new yet-to-file operations (strategic replanning), already authorized/accepted operations that have not taken off (pre-tactical replanning), and activated/airborne operations (tactical replanning). The results indicate that the number of incursions was lowest when operations were replanned across all time scales - strategically, pre-tactically and tactically, but that the cumulative delay and number of operations modified to accommodate the DAR was highest. The sensitivity of the results to the DAR notice period and DAR size were also explored, with the results suggesting that the notice period for the DAR should be maximized to reduce incursions, and to increase predictability and energy efficiency.