NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA DRF (Data and Reasoning Fabric) Provide data and AI decision support tools to realize the full potential of future air mobility By Dr. Pankaj Dhussa

1. Data & Reasoning Fabric (DRF)
Provide data and AI decision support tools to realize the full potential of future
air mobility
Challenge
- Cities are congested, complicated places to fly
for drone-based delivery solutions.
- Tall buildings, weather conditions, airspace
traffic, and other factors present challenges for
delivery drones and their operators.
- These dynamic challenges must be overcome
to realize the advantages of uncrewed, remote
transportation whether it is for packages or
people.
Team Observes How Drones Fight Wildfire
Expected Impacts
-Deliver groundbreaking technology which
seamlessly connects data to decision-making
through an interwoven “fabric” of intelligence that
sends aircraft specific, tailored information,
wherever they are.
- Help autonomous airborne activities safely meet
their full potential for society’s benefit, especially
those currently underserved by aviation.
Partners and/or Participants
• Local and federal governments
• Flight operators
• Data, Reasoning and Infrastructure Service Providers
Solution
- DRF helps assemble diverse sets of data from various
providers, which are enhanced by reasoning services
powered with artificial intelligence, to make sense of the
complex and dynamic airspace.
- DRF uses edge computing to handle, process, and store
data locally rather than through a cloud or data center. This
reduces delays associated with transmitting large sets of
data and allows for faster decision-making in time-
sensitive situations.
Results
- Collaborated with Civil Air Patrol (CAP) – California Wing to
enhance CAP’s mission critical decision making. Using simulated
drone flights, DRF technology helped CAP locate lightning-induced
wildfires more quickly than usual.
- Tested DRF prototype system in a simulated urban area in
partnership with members from Autonomy Association
International, academia, industry, OGA, communities, tribal
nations, and more than 22 cities.
- Integrating concepts into the ATM-X/UAM and ATM-X/DIP
projects.
DRFconnectsdatatodecision-making
DRF Core is an open and scalable framework
Next Steps
Testing stages for D-R-F to help missions like medical package
delivery and wildfire detection.
POCs: Ken Freeman, Supreet Kaur, Aditya Das
DRFhelpsdronesnavigatecomplicatedcites