Blockchain airspace management system
Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable storage media for airspace management within an airspace region at a node of a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes and maintaining a blockchain containing a current deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region. One method includes receiving requests for airspace reservations, each including flight plan data, from other nodes over the peer to peer network, compiling the flight plan data to identify conflicts between the requests and the current deconflicted flight schedule, validating the flight plan data of the requests that do not conflict with the current deconflicted flight schedule to generate validated airspace reservations, creating a block containing the validated airspace reservations and interlinking the block with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains a new deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region for broadcast to the other nodes over the peer to peer network.
1. An airspace management system for an airspace region, the system configured to operate within a peer to peer network, the system including a blockchain containing a current deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region, the system comprising:
a first node including a computer-useable non-transitory storage resource and a processor communicably coupled to the storage resource, wherein the processor executes application code instructions stored in the storage resource, the first node configured to send a request for an airspace reservation and receive a new deconflicted flight schedule over the peer to peer network; and
a second node including a computer-useable non-transitory storage resource and a processor communicably coupled to the storage resource, wherein the processor executes application code instructions stored in the storage resource, the second node configured to:
receive the request over the peer to peer network, the request including flight plan data;
compile the flight plan data to identify conflicts between the request and the current deconflicted flight schedule;
validate the flight plan data if there are no conflicts with the current deconflicted flight schedule to generate a validated airspace reservation;
create a block containing the validated airspace reservation;
interlink the block with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains the new deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region; and
broadcast the new deconflicted flight schedule over the peer to peer network.
2. The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first node is an aircraft node.
3. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises an unmanned aircraft.
4. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a pilot operated aircraft.
5. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises an air taxi.
6. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
7. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a passenger aircraft.
8. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a cargo aircraft.
9. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises an autonomous aircraft.
10. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a remote controlled aircraft.
11. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises a computing machine that includes the computer-useable non-transitory storage resource and the processor.
12. The airspace management system as recited in claim 11 wherein the computing machine further comprises a flight control computer.
13. The airspace management system as recited in claim 11 wherein the computing machine further comprises a mobile device.
14. The airspace management system as recited in claim 11 wherein the computing machine further comprises a tablet computer.
15. The airspace management system as recited in claim 11 wherein the computing machine further comprises a distributed computing system.
16. The airspace management system as recited in claim 11 wherein the computing machine further comprises an application specific integrated circuit.
17. The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the application code instructions of the first node further comprise an instance of a blockchain reservation application.
18. The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the application code instructions of the second node further comprise an instance of a blockchain reservation application.
19. The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor of the second node further comprises an application specific integrated circuit.
20. The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the peer to peer network further comprises a mesh network.