As new technologies in aviation emerge, FAA must be prepared to accommodate them into the operational environment. Space vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), supersonic aircraft, hypersonic aircraft, and unmanned high-altitude balloons are just a few of the emerging oceanic airspace users presently operating or expected within the next 15 years.

In response to this air traffic growth, FAA must improve its automation systems to efficiently and effectively manage and monitor these emerging airspace users. FOTO35 aims to assist this by:

• Coordinating with other FAA offices and organizations to establish uniform policies, procedures and technologies that allow controllers to monitor, control and manage new-entrant user operations in oceanic airspace, such as space launches, spacecraft re-entries, and other non-conventional activities.
• Incorporating CNS performance data/capabilities of these non-conventional airspace users to increase safety and controller situational awareness.

Industry outreach and conducting stakeholder needs analyses are critical.

As aviation adopts new technologies, FOTO35 plans to collaborate with industry and other ANSPs to identify opportunities that allow for data sharing and early system integration of such technologies in the oceanic environment. Then, in collaboration with other FAA offices and organizations, FOTO35 will begin identifying requirements to increase situational awareness of, and improve services to, emerging users.

Collaborating with industry, partners and FAA offices, FOTO35 intends to incorporate these requirements and data connections into the oceanic automation system to develop and implement ATC procedures so that new entrants to oceanic airspace may be better served and accommodated well beyond 2035.