Upper Class E airspace operations have historically been limited due to the challenges conventional fixed-wing aircraft face in reduced atmospheric density in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. However, recent advances in technologies relating to power and propulsion, aircraft structures, flight automation, and aerodynamics have led to an increase in the number of vehicles that can operate in low atmospheric density airspace. Sophisticated high altitude, long-endurance (HALE) vehicles, unmanned balloons, airships, and supersonic/hypersonic aircraft can efficiently and economically satisfy research objectives, demands for broad coverage of services (earth sensing, telecommunications), and supersonic passenger flight.

This increase in demand for upper Class E operations, combined with disparate vehicle performance characteristics and unconventional operational needs, present novel challenges for the current communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) infrastructure and airspace management model. The future use of this airspace creates a common desire to re-evaluate the current traffic management approach and realize innovative solutions. Public-private partnerships are supporting this burgeoning market to meet their objectives while maintaining the safety, security, efficiency, and equity of the National Airspace System (NAS).

The future of upper Class E airspace operations presents opportunities for an alternative traffic management approach. To ensure safe and efficient service provision for current and future expanded operations, NASA and the FAA are exploring an upper Class E Traffic Management (ETM) concept. The FAA and NASA, along with participating industry partners and other government agencies, have been conducting collaborative tabletop exercises and guided discussion sessions to better understand the need for ETM with consideration towards stakeholder vision and future operations and FAA publication of the ETM ConOps V1.0 .

Through NARI, NASA and the FAA are co-hosting a two-day workshop to provide an overview of the ETM work to date and discuss the next steps toward the future of ETM and operations at high altitudes. The first day will focus on technical presentation and panels and the second day will include breakout sessions for consensus building.

2021 Upper Class E Traffic Management (ETM) Workshop

Dates: Wednesday, July 21 and Thursday, July 22

Time: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT / 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET

Agenda: Click here

Breakout Outcome Slides: 2021 ETM Workshop Breakout Outcomes

The breakout sessions were as follows.