Air Traffic Avoidance: UAS Traffic Management (UTM)
PX4 can use MAVLink UTM_GLOBAL_POSITION messages to support simple air traffic avoidance in missions.
If a potential collision is detected, PX4 can warn, immediately land, or return (depending on the value of NAV_TRAFF_AVOID).
This implementation is exactly the same as for ADS-B traffic avoidance (except for the source of other-vehicle data). For more information see implementation below.
Configure Traffic Avoidance
Configure the trigger distance and action when there is a potential collision using the parameters below:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| NAV_TRAFF_AVOID | Enable traffic avoidance mode specify avoidance response. 0: Disable, 1: Warn only, 2: Return mode, 3: Land mode. |
| NAV_TRAFF_A_RADM | Set traffic avoidance trigger distance for manned aviation |
| NAV_TRAFF_A_RADU | Set traffic avoidance trigger distance for unmanned aviation |
Implementation
PX4 listens for UTM_GLOBAL_POSITION MAVLink messages during missions.
When a valid message is received, its validity flags, position and heading are mapped into the same transponder_report UORB topic used for ADS-B traffic avoidance.
The implementation is otherwise exactly as described in: ADS-B traffic avoidance > Implementation.
UTM_GLOBAL_POSITION contains additional fields that are not provided by an ADSB transponder (see ADSB_VEHICLE). The current implementation simply drops the additional fields (including information about the vehicle's planned next waypoint).