A Turing Test for UA Operations: Defining Operational Requirements

This paper describes our intent to formulate and develop a Turing Test for the performance of airborne systems within the NAS under instrument flying rules. The authors propose one simple modification to the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) that would allow UA to satisfy all requirements of the FARs. With this modification a UA would be indistinguishable from piloted aircraft to both ATC and to the crews in piloted aircraft. We present a discussion of the UA system requirements to both define and satisfy such a Turing Test.