The Linux Foundation announced it will host the InterUSS Platform Open Source Project to enable trusted, secure and scalable interoperability between UAS Service Suppliers (USSs) that advances safe, equitable and efficient drone operations. Initial contributors include both industry and regulatory organizations Wing, AirMap, Uber and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA).
Mike Dolan, vice president of strategic programs, the Linux Foundation
Similar to the evolution of cities, our skies are becoming busier with traffic. In an effort to unleash innovation and ensure safety, aviation regulators around the world are implementing UAS Traffic Management (UTM, also referred to as U-Space) to support rapidly increasing and highly diverse drone operations. Under UTM, a set of USSs (also known as U-Space Service Providers orUSPs) assist drone operators to conduct safe and compliant operations. USSs can provide service in overlapping airspace and share data when required to support services such as a strategic deconfliction of flight plans and remote identification and industry is developing standards for this data sharing through organizations such as ASTM International. The InterUSS Project provides a forum for collaboration and development of standards-compliant, open source implementations that facilitate communication in the UTM/U-Space environment.
The InterUSS Platform supports a range of UTM / U-Space services by facilitating communications between USSs and implements the Discovery and Synchronization Service (DSS) defined in the ASTM Remote ID standard. This includes two primary functions. First, it enables a USS to discover other USSs from which it needs to obtain information about flights and constraints in the airspace. Second, it provides mechanisms that require a USS to prove that it is aware of those flights and constraints. The InterUSS Platform accomplishes these functions without requiring any personally identifiable information and enables the USSs to share data only when necessary. The InterUSS platform was developed by industry in consultation with regulators and standards bodies around the world. It also provides a framework for interoperability in NASA’s UTM Technology Capability level demonstrations and the FAA’s UTM pilot program.
“Drones and their interoperability represents one of the most important areas of innovation across the technology industry,” said Mike Dolan, vice president of strategic programs of the Linux Foundation. “We’re excited to support the InterUSS Platform and global developer community to advance drone operations around the world.”
The Foundation will use an open governance model, including a Technical Advisory Council (TAC) comprised of a variety of technical stakeholders in the drone space. Project inclusion will be determined by a review and curation process managed by the TAC.
