Next-Generation Advanced Research Lab

The NEAR Laboratory, located on the Daytona Beach campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, provides specialized consulting services and research development expertise tailored to the aviation and aerospace sectors.

Dedicated to delivering outstanding professional services, the NEAR Lab team collaborates with avionics companies, aircraft manufacturers, communications providers, commercial airlines and key government agencies, including NASA and the FAA. The laboratory is staffed by a cadre of internationally recognized ATM research specialists, supported by highly skilled graduates and undergraduate students from a range of academic disciplines. Personnel conducts comprehensive human-in-the-loop studies and evaluations, along with both fast-time and real-time computer simulations, thereby offering valuable insights and innovative solutions to the most complex challenges faced by clients.

By leveraging state-of-the-art modeling tools such as the Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM) and an extensive air traffic database, the NEAR Laboratory is able to simulate intricate airspace and airport systems. This approach enables the provision of thorough analyses and informed recommendations on matters including runway incursions, airport capacity, operational efficiency and other critical issues pertinent to the future of ATM.

Additionally, the laboratory's team of software engineers brings specialized expertise in Air Traffic Systems (legacy and future concepts), supporting research and development (rapid prototyping, proof-of-concept, etc.) across the aviation ecosystem and addressing emerging challenges in this dynamic industry.

Equipment

• Multi-Information Display-Surveillance
• Live Traffic surveillance application
• Audio System
• NEAR Flight Operations “NFO” Airline Dispatch tool
• Flight Simulator

Current Research

Fast-Time Simulation

The NEAR Lab was one of the first U.S. users of the Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM). NEAR associates are among the highest qualified users of TAAM in the world, who train professionals in the use of TAAM for airport and en route airspace modeling. The NEAR Lab has conducted numerous projects for the FAA, various airports and airline services.

Real-Time Distributed Simulation

The NEAR Lab has developed a Real-Time Distributed Simulator (RTDS) that can support "human-in-the-loop" simulations. The RTDS is built around a detailed object model, and its software and functional architecture are entirely object-oriented. This provides an extraordinarily efficient simulation that easily simulates the entire traffic of the continental United States. Additionally, RTDS has the capability to interact with Aviation SimNet.

Data Warehouse

The NEAR Lab has also amassed an immense amount of data from the world meteorological network and the Air Situation Display Information (ASDI) that encompasses NAS Host flight plan data and ADS-B data. Years of experience in data mining and processing this traffic and weather data has enabled the NEAR Lab to generate valuable information from the raw data.

Next-Generation Air Transport System

The Next-Generation Air Transport System is an ambitious program to transform the nation's air traffic management system from the current ground radar-based command and control system. The FAA has contracted with Embry-Riddle to conduct NextGen research and demonstrations, with the majority of these efforts conducted at the Florida NextGen Test Bed on the Daytona Beach International Airport. The overall goal is to provide proof of concept and early implementation of NextGen technologies and systems concepts.