Researchers at NASA are working on a traffic management program for drones to deal with the possible dangers that could come with air delivery devices.
Several tech giants are currently involved in developing autonomous aircrafts designed for delivery, such as Amazon with its Prime Air delivery service and Google with its recently introduced Project Wing, according to Tech Times. However, these companies face several problems with drones, such as lack of testing on a wide scale and the cost of delivering cheap products.
The air traffic control system that the space agency is working on is being designed to keep track of objects flying at heights of 400 to 500 feet, the level at which most drones fly.
"One at a time you can make them work and keep them safe," said Parimal Kopardekar, principal investigator at NASA and head of the program's development and management. "But when you have a number of them in operation in the same airspace, there in no infrastructure to support it."
The program is being developed at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, Discovery News reported.
Airspace below 500 feet is the main priority for the program, as the Federal Aviation Administration currently regulates airspace above 500 feet.
NASA's system will ensure drones don't fly into helicopters and other aircrafts that fly at low distances, as well as buildings that are nearby. No-fly zones, such as locations near airports, will also be established. Weather conditions will be monitored to make sure the lightweight aircraft can avoid strong winds and other natural dangers, Tech Times reported.
The air traffic control center will be controlled not by humans, but by computers and algorithms created by humans.
Kopardekar expects drones' first commercial uses will be for asset surveillance and agriculture, Tech Times reported. For these situations, property owners could use drones as security cameras to make sure every spot in the area is safe.
