Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems


Book Description

The introduction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has presented a wide range of new safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges to airports and the National Airspace System. These risks are further complicated by the dynamic and shifting nature of UAS technologies. The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Research Report 212: Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 1: Managing and Engaging Stakeholders on UAS in the Vicinity of Airports provides guidance for airport operators and managers to interact with UAS operations in the vicinity of airports. The demand for commercial UAS may increase significantly once advanced UAS operations--including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, operations over people, and operations of multiple UAS by one pilot--are allowed through broader regulatory frameworks. Understanding the nature of UAS operations, platforms, and applications is a topic of interest at most, if not all, airports. Currently, federal regulations allow broad commercial use of UAS in the United States for the first time. However, UAS operations directly over people are still prohibited unless the operator has received a waiver or other approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The activities of small UAS (those weighing less than 55 pounds) may take many forms, including multi-rotor, fixed wing, and hybrid vertical take-off and landing with fixed-wing forward flight vehicles. Some UAS operations near airports will require the ability to fly over populated areas and therefore will require waivers to allow operations over people. As a part of managing UAS operations, it will be important for airport operators to understand the regulatory requirements and framework as well as to have the ability to obtain waivers and exemptions. This guidebook describes the regulatory frameworks that currently exist so that airport managers and operators will be in a better position to interact and guide UAS users who fly in their vicinity. Other Resources: Volume 2: Incorporating UAS into Airport Infrastructure--Planning Guidebook provides planning, operational, and infrastructure guidance to safely integrate existing and anticipated UAS operations into an airport environment. Volume 3: Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators provides airports with resources to appropriately integrate UAS missions as part of their standard operations. ACRP Web-Only Document 42: Toolkits and Resource Library for Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.




Assessing the Risks of Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System


Book Description

When discussing the risk of introducing drones into the National Airspace System, it is necessary to consider the increase in risk to people in manned aircraft and on the ground as well as the various ways in which this new technology may reduce risk and save lives, sometimes in ways that cannot readily be accounted for with current safety assessment processes. This report examines the various ways that risk can be defined and applied to integrating these Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It also identifies needs for additional research and developmental opportunities in this field.




Risk Management Handbook


Book Description

Every day in the United States, over two million men, women, and children step onto an aircraft and place their lives in the hands of strangers. As anyone who has ever flown knows, modern flight offers unparalleled advantages in travel and freedom, but it also comes with grave responsibility and risk. For the first time in its history, the Federal Aviation Administration has put together a set of easy-to-understand guidelines and principles that will help pilots of any skill level minimize risk and maximize safety while in the air. The Risk Management Handbook offers full-color diagrams and illustrations to help students and pilots visualize the science of flight, while providing straightforward information on decision-making and the risk-management process.




The Law of Unmanned Aircraft Systems


Book Description

Aerospace Law and Policy Series, Volume 11 In recent years, few industries have grown so prodigiously as that of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and, as a result, developments in national, regional, and international law and policy are being initiated and implemented. This new edition of the definitive survey and guide, first published in 2016, reflects the expansion of this sector and the importance placed on it by a diverse range of stakeholders, as well as the enlarged regulatory and policy landscape. In addition to updating many of the original chapters, the second edition covers new topics and moves away from a purely introductory book to a more detailed and critical compendium. Authorship has also been extended beyond the original scope of contributors, which originally centred around those affiliated with Leiden University’s Institute of Air and Space Law, and now includes additional experts from all around the world, each of whom explores both already existing rules and proposals coming from national, regional and international levels. As well as broadened discussions on such fundamental legal issues as insurance, financing, liability, accidents investigation, privacy, cyber security, stakeholder organisations and industry standards, the second edition takes into account major recent developments in such areas as the following: applicability and relevance of international regulatory instruments; coming into force of the European Union UAS-related laws; evolution of different States’ national law; public safety (e.g., design, production, operation and maintenance); development of unmanned traffic management systems; commercial operations, including urban air mobility (e.g., flying taxis, cargo delivery, high-altitude activities); and developments in defence and security (e.g., dual-use, counter-UAS industry to combat illegal use). As in the first edition, a representative cross section of national laws is included, covering twenty-one different jurisdictions. This fully updated edition not only synthesises and clarifies the complex body of international, regional and national UAS-related law, but also provides expert insight into trends and areas of concern for numerous stakeholders. Without a doubt, it will be of immeasurable value to lawyers, relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies, aviation law scholars, and strategic planners in the wider aviation and transport industries.




Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) Capability for Battalion-and-Below Operations


Book Description

The development of inexpensive small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) technologies and the growing desire of hobbyists to have more and more capability have created a sustained sUAS industry, however these capabilities are directly enabling the ability of adversaries to threaten U.S. interests. In response to these threats, the U.S. Army and other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations have invested significantly in counter-sUAS technologies, often focusing on detecting radio frequency transmissions by sUASs and/or their operators, and jamming the radio frequency command and control links and Global Positioning System signals of individual sUASs. However, today's consumer and customized sUASs can increasingly operate without radio frequency command and control links by using automated target recognition and tracking, obstacle avoidance, and other software-enabled capabilities. The U.S. Army tasked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study to address the above concerns. In particular, the committee was asked to assess the sUAS threat, particularly when massed and collaborating; assess current capabilities of battalion-and- below infantry units to counter sUASs; identify counter-sUAS technologies appropriate for near- term, mid-term, and far-term science and technology investment; consider human factors and logistics; and determine if the Department of Homeland Security could benefit from DoD efforts. This abbreviated report provides background information on the full report and the committee that prepared it.




Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations for 2018: FY 2018 budget justifications: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Railroad Administration; Federal Transit Administration; Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation; Maritime Administration; Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; Office of Inspector General; Surface Transportation Board


Book Description




Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Uas) in the Cyber Domain: Protecting Usa's Advanced Air Assets


Book Description

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are an integral part of the US national critical infrastructure. They must be protected from hostile intent or use to the same level as any other military or commercial asset involved in US national security. However, from the Spratly Islands to Djibouti to heartland America, the expanding Chinese Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS / Drone) industry has outpaced the US technologically and numerically on all fronts: military, commercial, and recreational. Both countries found that there were large information security gaps in unmanned systems that could be exploited on the international cyber-security stage. Many of those gaps remain today and are direct threats to US advanced Air Assets if not mitigated upfront by UAS designers and manufacturers. The authors contend that US military / commercial developers of UAS hardware and software must perform cyber risk assessments and mitigations prior to delivery of UAS systems to stay internationally competitive and secure. The authors have endeavored to bring a breadth and quality of information to the reader that is unparalleled in the unclassified sphere. This book will fully immerse and engage the reader in the cyber-security considerations of this rapidly emerging technology that we know as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Topics covered include National Airspace (NAS) policy issues, information security, UAS vulnerabilities in key systems (Sense and Avoid / SCADA), collision avoidance systems, stealth design, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms; weapons systems security; electronic warfare considerations; data-links, jamming operational vulnerabilities and still-emerging political scenarios that affect US military / commercial decisions.







Advancing Aerial Mobility


Book Description

Advanced aerial mobility is a newly emerging industry that aims to develop and operate new air vehicles potentially capable of safe, reliable, and low-noise vertical flight. The world has seen a recent increase in the adoption of electric vertical lift aircraft for urban, suburban and rural operations. These new innovations and technologies change the way that we move cargo and people, affecting industries across the economy. These changes will challenge today's airspace monitoring systems and regulatory environment. The U.S. government and its regulatory agencies need technical guidance to facilitate the development of these technologies, and to create the regulatory framework to foster the growth of this vertical flight industry to the benefit of the aviation industry. Advancing Aerial Mobility evaluates the potential benefits and challenges associated with this emerging industry. This report provides recommendations that seek to foster an environment in which the nation can maintain its leading position in developing, deploying, and embracing these new technologies. This publication presents a national vision for advanced aerial mobility, market evolution, and safety and security management.




On Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System


Book Description

This book presents, in a comprehensive way, current unmanned aviation regulation, airworthiness certification, special aircraft categories, pilot certification, federal aviation requirements, operation rules, airspace classes and regulation development models. It discusses unmanned aircraft systems levels of safety derived mathematically based on the corresponding levels for manned aviation. It provides an overview of the history and current status of UAS airworthiness and operational regulation worldwide. Existing regulations have been developed considering the need for a complete regulatory framework for UAS. It focuses on UAS safety assessment and functional requirements, achieved in terms of defining an “Equivalent Level of Safety”, or ELOS, with that of manned aviation, specifying what the ELOS requirement entails for UAS regulations. To accomplish this, the safety performance of manned aviation is first evaluated, followed by a novel model to derive reliability requirements for achieving target levels of safety (TLS) for ground impact and mid-air collision accidents.It discusses elements of a viable roadmap leading to UAS integration in to the NAS. For this second edition of the book almost all chapters include major updates and corrections. There is also a new appendix chapter.