A Unified Airspace Risk Management Framework for UAS Operations

Abstract

Collision risk modelling has a long history in the aviation industry, with mature models currently utilised in the strategic planning of airspace sectors and air routes. However, the progressive introduction of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and other forms of air mobility poses new challenges, compounded by a growing need to address both offline and online operational requirements. To address the existing gaps in the current airspace risk assessment models, this article proposes a comprehensive risk management framework, which relies on a novel methodology to model UAS collision risk in all classes of airspace. This methodology inherently accounts for the performance of Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems, and, as such, it can be applied to both strategic and tactical operational timeframes. Additionally, the proposed approach can be applied inversely to determine CNS performance requirements given a target value of collision probability. This new risk assessment methodology is based on rigorous analysis of the CNS error characteristics and the transformation of the associated models into the spatial domain to generate a protection volume around each predicted collision. Additionally, a methodology to quickly and conservatively evaluate the multi-integral formulation of collision probability is introduced. The validity of the proposed framework is tested using representative CNS performance parameters in two simulation case studies targeting a terminal manoeuvring area and an enroute scenario, respectively.

Research on risk map based on UAV safety operation indicators

“…In UAV operations, collision risks, both air-to-air and air-to-ground, are significant hazards. Thus, collision risk serves as a key safety indicator for UAVs in urban areas [18]. Densely populated urban environments pose challenges, including obstacles and other UAVs.…”

Simulating the Integration of Urban Air Mobility into Existing Transportation Systems: A Survey

“…This study demonstrated the viability of integrating UAS and UAM by simultaneously taking into account future lowaltitude and very high-altitude airspace. (Bijjahalli et al, 2022) For the hazard assessment of UAM, Graydon et al (2020) performed the Functional Hazard Assessment (FHA) and Systems Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) techniques. A large city with heavy air traffic served as the setting for the work's scenario, which included representative temperature ranges, precipitation types and rates, and wind profiles for both northern US winters and southern US summers.…”

Sensorless and Coordination-Free Lane Switching on a Drone Road Segment—A Simulation Study

“…In [19], the risk generated by drones moving in a corridor is modelled and an airspace capacity analysis is being carried out, which takes into consideration the collision rate and failure rate of drones. In [20], the modelling of collision risks including risks arising from positional uncertainty is discussed. The required ground infrastructure for urban air mobility and related regulatory aspects are reviewed in [21].…”

“…For the last three algorithms, we have simulated the following combinations for ( * 1 , * 2 ): • (10, 0), (20, 0), (50, 0); • (10,10), (20,20), (50, 50).…”