Collaborative Low-Altitude UAS Integration Effort (CLUE)

The Collaborative Low-Altitude UAS Integration Effort (CLUE) is a US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) program initiated in 2016 to develop a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system that provides air domain awareness, situational awareness, and operational capabilities for integrating low-altitude unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into Department of Defense (DOD) controlled airspace, enabling safe operations beyond visual line of sight through airspace deconfliction, automated flight approvals, and sensor integration. It is currently in the operational feasibility assessment phase, with formal testing underway at MacDill Air Force Base since May 2024, initial demonstrations in 2022, and plans for installation at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and potential DOD-wide fielding pending requirements establishment. From a defense-intelligence perspective, CLUE holds strategic significance by enhancing base security, counter-UAS detection, air traffic control for drones alongside manned aircraft, and overall airspace integration, addressing vulnerabilities to drone incursions at military installations.