Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate are assessing the CLUE UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system at MacDill Air Force Base, reports Marc D. DeNofio of the AFRL. This is the first Department of the Air Force (DAF) installation to utilize UTM in controlled airspace managed by DOD air traffic controllers. This integration ensures the safe operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAS) alongside manned air operations, enhancing overall operational safety.
Initiated in 2016, the CLUE program aims to prepare the Air Force and DOD for UAS operations on their installations. The system provides situational awareness and operational capabilities for UAS operators and stakeholders. Introduced at MacDill in February 2022, CLUE demonstrated its capabilities, focusing on airspace deconfliction and security.
Collaboration with various Air Force and AMC units determined it to advance to the next assessment phase. Developed over two years at MacDill, CLUE assists air traffic controllers by providing a three-dimensional view to enhance procedures and enable automatic flight permissions for UAS operators. In May 2024, CLUE UTM began formal operational feasibility assessments accessible to the Air Traffic Control Tower, the Base Defense Operations Center, and Airfield Management.
CLUE UTM is sensor-agnostic, integrating various sensors and systems for UAS detection, tracking, and identification. At MacDill, it helps airspace managers and UAS operators achieve real-time flight planning and mission execution through a control interface called SAFIRE-X, ensuring operational feasibility for DOD use cases.
Post Image- MacDill Air Force Base, Florida – Senior Airman Brooks Dingman, 6th Operations Group air traffic controller, or ATC, uses Collaborative Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, or CLUE, June 6, 2024, to establish constraints to let small Unmanned Aircraft System, or UAS, operators know where ATC approval is required to fly drones at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. The Air Mobility Command, in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Information Directorate, is evaluating the AFRL CLUE UAS Traffic Management system on the base. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)
