Master's Thesis

UAV Guidance & Alerting Algorithms

Detect-and-Avoid systems, ACAS-Xu-based guidance logic, and simulation-driven evaluation for safe BVLOS uncrewed aircraft operations.

Overview

My Master's thesis focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of guidance and alerting algorithms for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), with application to Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) systems enabling safe Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Revolution Aerospace as part of an industry-based placement, and forms part of a broader effort to mature autonomous collision-avoidance capabilities for operational UAV platforms.

Thesis Focus

UAV Guidance & Alerting Algorithm Development

Autonomy & Safety

The thesis investigates algorithmic approaches to airborne collision avoidance, with emphasis on adapting and evaluating ACAS-Xu-based guidance and alerting logic for unmanned aircraft operating in shared airspace.

Work is primarily simulation-driven and examines system-level behaviour, including alert timing, guidance effectiveness, and trade-offs between safety, operational efficiency, and nuisance alerting.

Emphasises autonomy, aviation safety, and system-level evaluation rather than platform-specific hardware implementation.

Project Documents

Project Proposal

Initial thesis project proposal outlining objectives, scope, and planned methodology for the UAV Detect-and-Avoid research.

View project proposal (PDF)

Progress Presentation

Progress presentation summarising the thesis direction, current development status, and planned evaluation work for the UAV Detect-and-Avoid project.

View progress presentation (PDF)

Methodology

  • Development and integration of guidance and alerting logic within a simulation-based DAA framework
  • Scenario-based evaluation across representative encounter geometries and operational conditions
  • Quantitative performance assessment using metrics such as alert lead time, detection range, false-alert rate, and computational cost
  • Comparative benchmarking against established systems such as NASA DAIDALUS

Confidentiality & Availability

Due to intellectual property and confidentiality constraints associated with industry collaboration, implementation details, source code, and proprietary data are not publicly available.

Public material is therefore limited to high-level system descriptions, methodology, and non-sensitive performance discussion.

Status

Status
Ongoing
Degree
Master of Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace)
Institution
The University of Queensland
Industry Partner
Revolution Aerospace