Parimal Kopardekar (PK)
Email:Parimal.H.Kopardekar@nasa.gov, Ph: 650 380 3276 (work)
Work bio: https://www.nasa.gov/ames/parimal-kopardekar

PROFILE
Aerospace Related Specific Passions: Autonomy, Drones, Urban/Advanced Air Mobility, Wildfire Management, Space Traffic Managements, Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management, Air Traffic Management, and Supply Chain Management.
Innovation Related Credentials
• Significant global impact related to improving current airspace operations and enabling future aviation. Identified in the list of top 25 persons in drone industry. Inventor and the global patent holder of Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) concept and technology which is now globally accepted.
Executive Credentials
• Executive level Senior Leader/Senior Technologist experience at NASA: Over 25 years of leadership experience in initiating, managing, advocating, developing and delivering transformative, revolutionary, and evolutionary concepts and technologies.
• Significant technical strengths and consulting practice: Project and program management, operations management, autonomy, and manufacturing and supply chain management.
Leadership Related Credentials
• Significant leadership strengths: Lead people and change, strategy formulation and execution, new initiatives and program development, business development, committed in creating new leaders in aerospace industry by serving as a mentor.
• Harvard Business Review article cited me as an example of leading change in the article titled “A Nonpartisan Model for Developing Public-Service Leaders,” April, 2020.
Academic and Adjunct Faculty Credentials
• Nearly decade of in-class adjunct faculty experience with teaching and developing graduate and undergraduate level courses related to Statistics, Quantitative Analysis, Experimental Design, Operations Management, Management Science, Information Systems Management, Supply Chain Management, Leadership, Total Quality Management, Engineering Economy, Project management, and Innovation.
• Significant research background: Over 50 conference and journal papers including three best paper awards. Serve as co-editor-in-chief of Journal of Aerospace Operations. I am also a fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and serve on many technical and executive committees.

EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy (1995), Industrial Engineering, University of Cincinnati.
Master of Science (1992), Industrial Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo.
Bachelor of Engineering (1989), Production Engineering, Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, University of Bombay.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Director, National Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) (June 2018 to current)
As a Director of NARI, I am responsible for identifying and kick-starting game changing initiatives through internal and external to NASA that will transform US aerospace industry.

Adjunct Faculty and Teaching Experience (1995-2002 and 2018-Current)
• Northeastern University (School of Business, September 2021- Current): Teach undergraduate course titled Innovation.
• Colorado State University- Global Campus (School of Business, Fall 2018 to current): Teach undergraduate and graduate level business courses, and develop curriculum involving topics related to operations management, management science, supply chain management, and statistics. Proficient in Canvas and Schoology learning management systems.
• Rutgers University (School of Business): PK taught MBA level courses such as Quantitative Techniques, Management Science, Operations Management, Total Quality Management, Statistics and Design of Experiments. I received teaching excellence award (1999).
• Drexel University (School of Engineering/Information Systems Department): PK taught M.S. level courses such as Human Computer Interaction (both in person and on-line).
• New Jersey Institute of Technology: Graduate level dissertation committee member.
• Atlantic Cape Community College (Undergraduate level): Statistics I and II.
• University of Cincinnati: Engineering Economy

NASA Executive/Senior Technologist, Air Transportation System (September, 2016 to 2021)
As a senior technologist, he enjoyed developing new concepts, technology options, promoting collaborations inside and outside NASA, and mentoring researchers and staff. My area of focus is to increase efficiency of current operations and enable future airspace users. PK was responsible for developing strategic planning related to future air transportation system. PK worked as a resident entrepreneur at NASA Ames Research Center where he developed innovative concepts and technologies.
Impact: Acceptance of UTM-inspired-ATM construct inside and outside NASA to enable future scalable operations that leverage cooperative airspace operations, development of Space Traffic Management, development of urban air mobility research agenda and partnerships, and use of UTM construct for high altitude (upper E) airspace.

Principal Investigator, Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM), NASA, 2013-Current
PK developed a UTM concept and operational approach for safely enabling large-scale UAS operations at lower altitudes. To transition research outcomes into practice, FAA has formed a joint FAA-NASA research transition team. Further, over 65 non-reimbursable space act agreements have been signed with industry to collaboration. There are over 200 collaborators who have registered for UTM related collaboration. Starting 2017, UTM will become its own project. Many international countries are also interested in collaborating with NASA. An international organization called Global UTM Association has been formed to harmonize UTM construct across the globe.
Impact: Global acceptance of UTM concept by many countries and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Significant partnerships with industry, academia, and FAA, DOD, and DHS to coordinate efforts to enable small UAS operations. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making with specific UTM components.

Project Manager, Safe Autonomous System Operations Project, NASA, 2015- 2017
PK led the formulation of the autonomy focused project to address future needs of the air transportation to increase mobility, enable new airspace users such as drones, competitiveness, safety, affordability, and scalability. The Safe Autonomous System Operations project consists of research related to UTM, safe and efficient crew-autonomy teaming, future clean sheet design of airspace operations, verification and validation of autonomous systems, concepts for autonomous traffic flow management, airports, and airline operations center.
Impact: Very first autonomy focused project inside NASA.

Project Manager, NextGen Concepts and Technology Development Project, NASA, 2010- 2015
PK initiated multi-disciplinary, multi-year, multimillion-dollar innovative research and development activities that are aligned with NASA’s strategic vision. These include Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM) Automation Maximus, Shadow Mode Assessment Using Realistic Technologies for the National Airspace System (SMART NAS), Single Pilot Operations/Remotely Piloted Operations/Reduced Crew Operations, cloud-based functional allocation. I have also facilitated partnerships with American Airlines for Dynamic Weather Routing technology and US Air for Spot and Runway Departure Advisor. NextGen Concepts and Technology Development Project performance has been consistently rated Excellence/Very Good for the past four years.
Impact: Initiation of game changing ideas related to enabling small UAS operations, single pilot/reduced crew operations, and air/ground/cloud net-enabled operations.

Co-Editor in Chief, Journal of Aerospace Operations (JAO) – 2012 – present
As a co-editor in chief, I promote publication of peer-reviewed articles related to new research directions and technology trends to improve the airline and airspace systems operations.

Principal Investigator, NextGen-Airspace Project, NASA, 2008- 2010
PK was responsible for planning and execution of the NextGen-Airspace Project. Specifically, my duties include: setting the technical direction, resource allocation, progress review, technical reporting, making adjustments as needed, and internal and external advocacy to ensure project success. The overall goal of the NextGen-Airspace Project was to develop automation concepts and technologies that will safely enable significant increases in capacity, throughput and efficiency of future air traffic operations. The NextGen-Airspace Project consists of six research focus areas, which include: Separation Assurance; Traffic Flow Management; Airspace Super Density Operations; Dynamic Airspace Configuration; Trajectory Prediction, Synthesis, and Uncertainty; and System-Level Design, Analysis, and Simulation Tools.

As a Principal Investigator, PK was responsible for design and integration of systems and project research elements related to ATM automation and operations. PK provided overall technical leadership for design, development, integration, evaluation, and operational testing of ATM concepts and automation systems as per NextGen-Airspace project requirements. PK was responsible for providing authoritative technical decision, advice and consultation on variables and unknowns affecting the planning, integration, coordination, and critical management considerations, opportunities, and problems with respect to safety, cost, and economics related to NextGen-Airspace Project. PK served as senior technical contact for the NextGen-Airspace Project, keeping senior management informed on technical progress, proposed project or contract modifications, resources analyses, acquisition strategy, and analysis of proposals and future direction. PK worked extensively with multi-agency Joint Planning and Development Office (JDPO) and Federal Aviation Administration for Project advocacy and alignment with national next generation air transportation needs. PK led a major realignment of the Project to ensure its full alignment with JPDO’s research needs and Integrated Work Plan.

Project Manager, Strategic Airspace Usage Project, NASA Ames Research Center, 2004 -2006
PK managed NASA’s Strategic Airspace Usage project (annual budget of about $20 million). As a project manager, PKwas responsible for the management of technical activities, budget, risks, schedule, and acquisition. The focus of the project was to develop technologies and advanced concepts related to traffic flow management, surface management system, trajectory operations, and wake vortex alleviation. PK was also responsible for developing concepts and prototype for regional metering and sector congestion management decision support tool. A concept called “Airspace Restriction Planner” predicts the congested sectors, provides the means to examine the incoming sector traffic, allows Traffic Management Coordinators to plan restrictions, and provides feedback if the restrictions are adequate. The FAA is interested in integrating parts of this concept with future traffic management initiatives.
Impact: Dynamic density metrics that I developed were used by FAA and European agencies in restructuring airspace

Manager, Titan Systems Corporation, 1994 - 2002
PK worked on a number of projects sponsored by the FAA and NASA aimed at improving efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of air traffic management operations. His specific duties included: developing and validating advanced ATM concepts; planning and designing experiments; assessing impact of concepts and DSTs on performance; examining benefits and feasibility of advanced ATM concepts and DSTs; designing human-computer interfaces; conducting prototyping, usability, simulation, and field studies; performing statistical data analysis; and preparing reports. PK developed air traffic control complexity (also known as Dynamic Density) metrics.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (CONFERENCE, JOURNAL, AND REPORTS – OVER 55 PUBLICATIONS)

1. Andreeva-Mori, A., Kubo, D., Okuno, Y., Homola, J., Johnson, M., and Kopardekar, P. (2021) Management of Operations under Visual Flight Rules in UTM for Disaster Response Missions, SESAR Innovation Days, Eurocontrol.
2. Andreeva-Mori, A., Kubo, D., Okuno, Y., Homola, J., Johnson, M., and Kopardekar, P. (2021) Operational Testing of Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management in Disaster Response, Journal of Air Transportation, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
3. Nag, N., Murakami, M., Marker, M., Johnson, N., and Kopardekar, P. (2019) On Operational Autonomy within Space Traffic Management, International Astronautical Congress, Washington DC, October 2019.
4. Murakami, D., Nag, S., Lifson, M., Kopardekar, P. (2019) Space Traffic Management with a NASA UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Inspired Architecture, AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech), San Diego USA, January 2019.
5. Nag, S., Murakami, D., Lifson, M., and Kopardekar , P., (2018) System Autonomy for Space Traffic Management, IEEE/AIAA Digital Avionics and Systems Conference, London, United Kingdom, 2018.
6. Sampigethaya, K., Kopardekar, P., and Davis, J. Cyber Security of Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM), (2018) 2018 ICNS Conference, April 2018 (Best Paper Award).
7. Mueller, E., Kopardekar, P., and Goodrich, K. (2017) Enabling Airspace Integration for High-Density On-Demand Mobility Operations, AIAA-2017-3086, 2017 AIAA Aviation Forum, 17th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference.
8. Johnson, M., Rios, J., Mercer, J., Prevot, T., Mulfinger, D, and Kopardekar, P. (2017) Flight Test Evaluation of an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) Concept for Multiple Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight Operations, US/Europe ATM Seminar (referred publication)
9. Sridhar, B., and Kopardekar, P. (2016) Towards Autonomous Aviation Operations: What can we learn from other areas of automation, AIAA Conference.
10. Kopardekar, P., Rios, J., Prevot, T., Johnson, M., Jung, J., and Robinson, J. (2016), Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM) Concept of Operations, AIAA Conference.
11. Kopardekar, P. (2014), Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management: Enabling Low-altitude Airspace and UAS operations, NASA TM-2014-218299.
12. Kopardekar, P. (2014), Shadow Mode Assessment Using Realistic Technologies for the National Airspace System (SMART NAS), 2014 ATCA Technical Symposium; 13-15 May 2015; Atlantic City, NJ; United States.
13. Kopardekar, P., and Alexandrov, N. (2013), Beyond NextGen: Automax Overview and Update, NTRS, ARC-E-DAA-TN11498.
14. Ballin, M., Cotton, B., and Kopardekar (2011), Share the Sky,11th AIAA Aviation Technology Integration and Operations Conference.
15. Kopardekar, P., Lee., U., Prevot, T., Smith N., Mercer, J., Homola, J., Mainin, K. (2009) Feasibility of Mixed Equipage Operations in the Same Airspace, Air Traffic Control Quarterly.

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS, SELECTED AWARDS AND MERITS
• AIAA Hap Arnold Award for Programmatic Excellence (2023).
• NASA Government Invention of the Year for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management Patent (2019-2020).
• Finalist for the Air Traffic Management World Exposition’s Maverick Award (2020).
• Patent Awarded for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (US10332045B2, 2019).
• Winner, in Promising Innovation Category (2018), Samuel J. Heyman Award (known as Oscars of the Government Service).
• Finalist, AUVSI Xponential (2018) – Individual Recognition for Contributions to UAS Industry.
• Winner, Ignite Innovation Incubation Category for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management - American Council for Technology & Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) (2018).
• Named among the 25 Most Influential People in Commercial Drone Industry (2017).
• ATCA President Citation of Merit Award (2017).
• NASA, Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal (2016).
• NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Associate Administrator’s Award (2015).
• NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Associate Administrator’s Award – Strategic Partnerships for UTM (2014).
• NASA Center Director’s Innovation Fund Award – Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM) (2014).
• NASA Aeronautics Honorable Mention – Leadership and Management Excellence (2013).
• NASA Ames Spot Award for Aeronautics (2012).
• NASA Ames Honor Award – Project Management Category (2012).
• AIAA Distinguished Service Recognition (2008-2011).
• NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2010).
• Elected Chair of AIAA Aircraft Operations Committee of Aviation Technology Integration and Operations (2008).
• Aviation Technology Integration Operations Conference planning committee member (2007-current).
• NASA Ames Honor Award (Group Award for Advanced Air Transportation Technologies Project) 2004.
• NASA Ames Honor Award (Group Award for Regional Meeting Project) 2004.
• NASA Ames Honor Award (Engineer of the Year- Individual Award) 2003.
• Best Paper Award for the paper titled Controller Workload Analysis Methodology to Predict Increases in Airspace Capacity at the Aviation Technology Integration Operations, AIAA, 2004.
• Best Paper Award for the paper titled Measurement and Prediction of Dynamic Density at the 5th US/Europe Air Traffic Management Seminar, 2003.
• Teaching Excellence Award from School of Business, Rutgers University, 1999.
• Received a Superior Accomplishment Award in appreciation for the support in planning, design and conduct of the FAA’s National Simulation Capability Program sponsored Approach Station Keeping Simulation, August 1995.

Professional Service

2021-present Member, Civil Air Navigation Service Organizations (CANSO)’s Global Council
2020-present Board of Directors, Air Traffic Control Association
2020-prenset Chair, United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization’s Unmanned Aircraft System Advisory Group
2020-present Member of International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Advanced Flight Rules Committee
2019-present Member of the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) Emerging Technology Committee
2019-present Member of the Air Traffic Control Association’s (ATCA) Blue Skies Initiative Steering Committee
2018-present Member of International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Unmanned Aircraft System Advisory Group
2018 Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
2016 Originated strategic collaboration between AIAA, ATCA and Drone World Expo for connecting research to reality
2014-present AIAA Transformational Flight Policy Committee Member
2012-present Journal of Aerospace Operations - Co-Editor-in-Chief
2012-2014 Planning Committee Member, 12th Aviation Technology Integration Operations Conference
2010-present NASA Speaker’s Bureau – Listed speaker, Provide talks at schools, colleges, and other venues
2008-2010 AIAA Aircraft Operations Committee Chair
2004-2014 AIAA Aircraft Operations Committee Member
1996-2002 Adjunct faculty (Drexel University, Rutgers University, Atlantic County College)
1993-2002 Human Factors Society (Atlantic City Chapter)- President, Vice President, Secretary, & Treasurer

Selected Invited Speaker/Talks and Invited Panelist

• Speaker at Department of Defense’s Agility Prime Conference (2020)
• Keynote speaker at Supplier Management Council of American Institute of Aeronautics (2019)
• Keynote speaker at Aviation Week’s Urban Air Mobility Conference (2019)
• North Carolina Drone Conference (2018) – Keynote speaker
• International Conference on Research in Air Transportation (2018) – Keynote speaker
• Vertical Take-off and Landing Conference: Speaker on Future Airspace Operations (2018)
• CES: Panelist on Future of Mobility (2018)
• Lead keynote panelist at Drone World Expo (2017)
• Royal Aeronautical Society UTM Conference (2017)
• Japan Drone Expo – remote presentation (2017)
• Small UAS Expo (2017)
• DFS UAS Conference, Germany – Invited Speaker The Drone Challenge (2016)
• Drone World Expo, San Jose, USA (2016)
• Panelist, TRB Symposium- Transformational Technologies (2016)
• Keynote Speaker, UAS Traffic Management Convention (2016)
• Panelist at Stanford Conference on Last Mile (2016)
• Keynote Speaker, Digital Avionics Systems Conference (2016)
• Demand for Unmanned, AIAA (2016)
• Google Technical Talk (2016)
• DLR Invited Guest Lecture Series (2016)
• Drone Data X Conference (2016)
• Keynote Speaker, UAS Traffic Management (2015)
• Transportation Review Board Conference (2015)
• US/Europe ATM Seminar (2015)
• UAS Commercial Exposition (2015)
• SUAS Expo (Summer 2015)
• Drone Data X Conference (2015)
• AUVSI Conference (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Session Organizer – AIAA – Next Billion Dollar Industry (2014)
• Amazon Up the River – Plenary Speaker – Challenges and Opportunities in Air Transportation System (2014)
• Duke University Two Talks – UTM and Challenges and Opportunities in Air Transportation System (2014)
• sUAS Expo (Summer 2014)
• Panel Speaker – Drone Zone at Tech Crunch (2014)
• AUVSI Cascade Chapter (2014)
• Helicopter Society International – VTOL Unmanned Air Systems Invited Speaker (October 2014)- University of Maryland.
• INFORMS – Invited Plenary Speaker (2014)