EUROCAE publishes industry position report on ACAS sXu standard

EUROCAE has announced the publication of ER-032 “European Industry Position Report on RTCA SC-147 ACAS sXu”. ACAS (Aircraft Collision Avoidance System) sXu is an aviation system designed to provide detect and avoid (DAA) capability for drones operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

This new report is the result of thorough analysis and provides a detailed assessment of the feasibility of implementing the ACAS sXu system in the European Union, including its compatibility with U-space airspace. Contributors to the publication include members of the working group on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (WG-105) Sub-Group 1 DAA.

RTCA SC-147 was first established in 1980 and was the original developer of the TCAS and TCAS II performance standards. Today, ACAS has multiple variants including ACAS Xo (special operations), ACAS Xa (active surveillance) and ACAS Xu (for large unmanned aircraft systems, such as those used by the military). The ACAS sXu design standard was finalised in late 2022.