The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Might Face Certain Obstacles in Its Integration in the NAS - Case Study Example

Drones in the Public Sector Table of Contents Table of Figures 2 3 Methodology 4 Literary Review/ Facts 5 Analysis 6 Planning 6 Organising 6Safety Issues 7 Conclusion 13 References 14 Table of Figures Table1: Response of the Students in the Survey…………………………………………………..8 Figure 1: Organisation of UAV for commercial operation……………………………………….7 Figure 2: A Graphical Representation of Students Responses…………………………….……...9 Figure 3: Demonstration of the Feet Rule for the UAVs (Class G)……………………………...10 Figure 4: Demonstration of the Flight Level for UAVs (Class G)………………………………10 Figure 5: Demonstration of How Mid-Air Collision can be Mitigated………………………….11 Figure 6: UAV being Tested in a Test Site of the US………………………………………..….12 Figure 7: Map of Selected Six Test Sites to Test Operation of UAV …………………………...13 Abstract The report provides an in-depth understanding about the current obstacles that have been brought forward in context of using the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the commercial purpose. There are many obstacles which should be mitigated in order to effectively use UAVs as a system for delivering products to the customers. According to the survey conducted, it was determined that UAVs do not disturb the people or make them feel uncomfortable if the flight level of these aircrafts is appropriately determined which should be more than 50ft. Moreover, there are various safety issues that the regulatory body of the FAA should take into account while integrating the UAVs to the National Airspace System (NAS). In addition, it was ascertained that the introduction of these unmanned aircrafts for the commercial purpose should be implemented after few years when the people get accustomed to the UAVs. Introduction An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which is generally known as drone is an automated aircraft which does not require any human pilot on the plane. The UAV is controlled either automatically by the inbuilt computer system in the aircraft or is controlled by a pilot through a remote. In the present day context, drones are being used for the delivery of packages to the civilians in the United States. Correspondingly, Amazon has been one of the prime initiators of introducing UAVs in the United States for the commercial purpose. The main objective of Amazon behind its UAV adoption is to carry package delivery through its use. In the year 2013, Amazon declared that it would use small UAVs in order to deliver various commodities to its customers. Amazon proclaimed that these UAVs can deliver products within 30 minutes. However, it can be observed that the UAV delivery system might face certain major obstacles. It can be ascertained that weather would be a major obstacle while grounding the aircraft. Moreover, there might be a possibility that the product that has been dropped in the door step of the customer gets stolen. In addition, people might feel uncomfortable with several UAVs flying above their heads every day. Besides, the people using this delivery system might have the requirement of purchasing UAV insurance that provides security from system malfunctions and uncertain crashes. The prospective users of the UAVs for commercial purpose and the UAV manufacturers can be termed as the audience for this report. The purpose of the report is to determine the impact of various factors that act as an obstacle for the delivery system through the use of UAV (Advantage Business Media, 2013). Methodology In relation to the conducted study regarding the obstacles of an airborne UAV delivery system, a mixed research approach has been undertaken. This approach is also known as multiple methodology or mixed methodology. This approach involves both qualitative and quantitative research. Two sources of data collection have been used for this research, which include primary source and secondary source. This approach facilitates to ensure an assorted collection of data which results in greater validity. The primary source of data for this study was a survey that was conducted on the campus of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. The main purpose for this survey was to derive how the students would respond while the UAV aircraft fly above their head. The secondary sources used for this study included various news articles, websites and journals. It can be ascertained that the facts used in this research are very reliable as they have been practically derived from the university students who provided a considerable understanding about whether the people would feel comfortable or disturbed with the UAV flying above their head. Furthermore, its reliability can be validated as the secondary sources used for this research include various reliable journals, websites and news articles that have been published with substantial evidence. Mixed research approach is considered to be quite beneficial because it increases the rationality of the findings which facilitates in examining an identical phenomenon in distinct ways. This approach also provides a better understanding of the derived findings in a broader aspect. In terms of limitation, it can be stated the research was conducted within a small group of students and the idea that was derived from this might not be appropriate to project the viewpoint a greater mass of public. Literary Review/ Facts From the survey conducted in Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University with the aid of the students, it has been determined that the use of UAV for commercial purpose can be done effectively by taking into account the safety factors along with its operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). It was derived that the perception of the students were of three types when it was tested under the observation of the students i.e.: 1) The students did not notice the UAV 2) The students noticed but ignored the UAV and 3) The students extremely noticed the UAV It was determined that the students did not notice the UAV when it was flying above a height of 50ft. However, when it was flying within a range of 20ft to 30ft the students noticed the UAV but intended to ignore it. Moreover, when it was flying at a range of 15ft it was observed that the students extremely noticed the UAV. Moreover, there are certain factors that should be kept into consideration to effectively implement the use of UAV for commercial purpose. These factors include: 1) Effective planning of initiating the UAV in the NAS for commercial purpose 2) Appropriately organising the design and operation of UAV aircrafts for successful implementation 3) Considering the safety issues of common public From the database based evaluation, certain prudent additional information has been gathered regarding the ‘obstacles of an airborne UAV delivery system’. The crucial facts include: In case of aircraft weight in between the figure of 20 to 150 kg, the UAV requires approval related to airworthiness (Unmanned Tech, 2014) Moreover, registration and pilot permission should be obtained as well (Unmanned Tech, 2014) Appropriate design and operation of UAV is a major concern or obstacle related to its safety (DeGarmo, 2014) Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) has prepared a segmentation of flight related to aircrafts into diverse regulatory layers for surface to outer space flying (Roberts, 2013) FAA necessitates UAVs to ensure safety as manual aircrafts (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration, 2013) Analysis Planning Based on the derived understanding, it can be ascertained that the FAA has to go through rigorous planning in order to initiate the use of UAVs for commercial purpose. A systematic approach should be developed by the regulatory bodies in order to ensure that these UAV aircrafts do not harm or jeopardise the security of the public. In keeping with the responses received from students in the campus of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, it has been determined that the use of UAVs might be problematic for the people if the flight level is below 50ft. However, if the level of flight of the UAVs goes above 50ft, there is a possibility that the people might not get disturbed or distracted. Organising UAVs must be organised in the NAS based upon their weight. If the weight of the aircraft is less than 20kg, airworthiness approval and registration would not be required. However, the permission of its operation and the qualification of the pilot must be kept as mandatory. Conversely, if the weight of the aircraft is between 20kg to 150kg, it should be necessary for the UAV to get approval of airworthiness. Besides, the aspects such as registration and operation of the UAV as well as pilot permission must be ensured (Unmanned Tech, 2014). Figure 1: Organisation of UAV for Commercial Operation (Unmanned Tech, 2014) Safety Issues From the analysis regarding the use of UAV’s for commercial purpose, it has been observed that there are many safety concerns associated with UAV because due to certain technical problem, the UAV might get crashed causing harm to the general public. It should be ensured by the FAA that the UAV is systematised in such a manner that it avoids any collision or crash in mid-air due to which the safety of the common public would be at stake. Designing and operating these UAVs is the prime factor for concern because if it is either not designed or operated appropriately then the safety of the common public would get jeopardised. These issues have to be mitigated effectively to ensure complete safety of the common public (DeGarmo, 2014). In relation to substantiate the derived findings, a survey was conducted in the campus of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. This survey was undertaken to find out how many students would be aware regarding the UAV flying above their head. The survey was conducted with an RC helicopter that flew over the walk away of the McKay dorms and Doolittle Hall. The helicopter flew to a height of 15ft, 25ft and 50ft over the walk away. This survey included a group of 25 students whose reactions were observed carefully. The survey provided a considerable understanding regarding the use of UAV and the altitude up to which it can be flown. The table below shows the reaction of 25 students concerning the helicopter flying over their head: Reaction 50 Feet 30 Feet 15 Feet Took No Notice 19 9 1 Noticed but Ignored 6 13 8 Took Extreme Notice 0 3 16 Table 1: Response of the Students in the Survey The observation was classified into three segments which include students who did not notice, who noticed but ignored and who took extreme notice. In relation to the findings derived from to the survey directed towards the students, it was ascertained that when the RC helicopter was flown over 50ft there were 19 students who did not notice it. While, when the RC helicopter was flown at a height of 30ft there were 9 students who did not notice and when it was flown at a height 15ft there was only one student who could not notice the helicopter. It was observed that 6 students noticed but ignored when the RC helicopter was flown at the height of 50ft. However, when the helicopter was flown at the height of 30ft there were 15 students who noticed but ignored. Similarly, when the helicopter was flown at a height of 15ft there were 8 students who noticed the helicopter but ignored it. On the contrary, survey had been conducted to identify the students who extremely noticed the helicopter. It was recognised that when the helicopter was flown at a height of 50ft, not even a single student noticed the helicopter. However, when the helicopter was flown at a height of 30ft it was observed that 3 students noticed the helicopter. Similarly, when the helicopter was flown at a height of 15ft there were 16 students who extremely noticed it. Thus, it can be ascertained that flying UAV at a height of 15ft above the ground level will possibly result in causing people to get distracted and subsequently they may feel uncomfortable as well. This in turn can be a major obstacle related to airborne UAV. On the other hand, flying UAV at an elevation of 30 ft may also cause nominal distraction to people. Thus, based on the survey findings, it can be stated that flying UAVs at an elevation of 50ft or above may probably cause less distraction to people. Figure 2: A Graphical Representation of Students Responses In context of the study, certain additional information has been derived after conducting database researches. The key questions reviewed in this section include: 1. How high will the UAV fly, will it have to fall under any FAA regulations? 2. How will manage the flight paths and how will you guarantee separation between the UAVs preventing mid-air collisions? 3. Will the FAA allow this program? According to Roberts (2013), Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) has segmented flight of aircrafts into distinct regulatory layers for flying from the surface to the outer space. The aircrafts are segmented into various categories which include Class A aircrafts that can fly within 18,000 feet to 60,000 feet, Class B can fly in bigger airports and Class C and D aircrafts can fly in small cities. However, drone flights or UAVs are classified as Class G aircrafts and according to the FAA regulation UAVs can fly within a height of 700 to 1200 feet. The UAVs will have to fly under the airport tiers as per the rules of the FAA. Figure 3: Demonstration of the Feet Rule for the UAVs (Class G) (Roberts, 2013) According to the FAA, the feet rule of 700ft to 1200ft is the distance from the ground level and not the sea level. Figure 4: Demonstration of the Flight Level for UAVs (Class G) (Roberts, 2013) The FAA requires the UAVs to be as safe as manual aircrafts. Therefore, FAA has developed certain set of policies for the operations of the UAV in the National Airspace System (NAS). In this regard, the regulatory body states that the standard of the current technology in UAV must meet the terms with the Title 14 Federal Regulation Code (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration, 2013). To certify the safety, the operator of the UAV must develop airworthiness either from the Department of Defence (DoD) or from the FAA certification. The applicants or license seekers of UAV must validate that the collision with any other aircraft is extremely unlikely. The concept of pilot in command is very important for the safe functioning of the UAV aircrafts. Figure 5: Demonstration of How Mid-Air Collision Can Be Mitigated (Asmat et al., n.d.) Encounter model provides collision avoidance. Thus, if this model is followed by the UAV, it is possible for these aircrafts to avoid mid-air collision. The FAA has taken a step to integrate the UAVs in the US which is considered as the most complicated system of air traffic in the world. The FAA has chosen six UAV sites for testing its operation that would ensure safe combination of the UAVs in the NAS (1U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration, 2013). From the data and evidence collected through the survey, it can be affirmed that there is indeed a set of obstacles being faced to integrate the UAVs into the NAS. Thus, Amazon that has taken the initiative to use these UAVs as a medium for delivery of certain products in the door steps of the customers is required to mitigate the obstacles in order to realize its goals. There are certain factors that have been acting as a major obstacle for the UAV in its implementation in the public sector. One of the major obstacles is considered as the weather which is always uncertain. Next, the UAVs might face a problem while grounding or landing its flight in the required place because if the weather is not appropriate, there might be a possibility of sudden accidents. Moreover, if the package is dropped by the drone in the door step of the customer, there is no guarantee of the package reaching the hands of the customer because once the package is dropped it might get stolen. Another major obstacle is whether the people will be comfortable or feel disturbed when the aircraft flies over their head frequently. However, as per the survey conducted, it can be ascertained that if these aircrafts fly at a height of 30ft or 50ft from the ground surface, the people will not get disturbed or feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, the customer might have to buy an insurance policy that will safeguard him/her if in case there is a malfunction in the aircraft and the aircraft crashes down. In addition, it should be ensured by the regulatory bodies that the UAV will not get hijacked electronically. However, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 has supported the UAVs and asked its manufacturers to develop the process of certification. The FAA has chosen six sites for testing these aircrafts in order to integrate these unmanned aircrafts in the NAS by the end of September 2015. It is also considered to create a guideline for national privacy so that UAVs can be integrated to use in the public sector. Finally, it is recommended that the UAV should be integrated in the NAS after few years as people are still not comfortable with such aircrafts flying over their heads (Aerospace Industries Association, n.d.). Figure 6: UAV Being Tested In A Test Site Of The US (Straw, 2013). The FAA has selected six sites to test the operation of UAVs for the commercial purpose. The selected sites include New York, Virginia, North Dakota, Alaska, Texas and Nevada which were chosen after a selection process of 10 months (Straw, 2013). Figure 7: Map of Selected Six Test Sites to Test Operation of UAVs (Straw, 2013). Conclusion From the above analysis and interpretation, it can be concluded that the UAVs might face certain obstacles in its integration in the NAS. These obstacles act as a barrier for these aircrafts to be used for the purpose of delivering products to certain customers. Although, according to the survey undertaken and the information derived from the secondary sources, it can be comprehended that if the aircraft flies at a certain height of 50ft or above then the possibility of the people feeling uncomfortable or getting disturbed by the aircrafts can be minimized. In addition, the UAVs are required to undergo various certification processes in order to ensure that there is no threat to the common public while the aircraft operates and flies at a level wherein there is no possibility of mid-air collision. References Advantage Business Media. (2013). Amazon developing delivery drones. Retrieved from http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2013/12/amazon-developing-delivery-drones Aerospace Industries Association. (n.d.).UAS integration into the national airspace system. Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Perceptions & Potential, 1-16. Asmat, J., Rhodes, B., Umansky, J., Villavicencio, C., Yunas, A. (n.d.). Encounter model with collision avoidance. UAS Safety: Unmanned Aerial Collision Avoidance System (UCAS), 1-7. DeGarmo, M. T. (2014). Issues concerning integration of unmanned aerial vehicles in civil airspace. The MITRE Corporation, 1-59. Roberts, J. J. (2013). So you want to fly drones? Here’s what the law says. Retrieved from http://gigaom.com/2013/12/08/so-you-want-to-fly-drones-heres-what-the-law-says/ Straw, J. (2013). FAA says New York, five other states chosen to host drone test sites. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/6-states-chosen-drone-test-sites-article-1.1561480 Unmanned Tech. (2014). Crazyflie nano quadcopter. Retrieved from http://www.unmannedtech.co.uk/regulations.html 1U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration. (2013).FAA UAS policy basis. Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) Roadmap, 1-74. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration. (2013). Fact Sheet – FAA UAS test site program. Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsid=15575 Read More