Air Line Pilots Association, International

Shared Skies: Safe Integration of Remotely

Piloted AircraftCaptain Sean Cassidy

1st Vice PresidentNational Safety Coordinator

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Single High Level of Safety

Same high level of safety realized today must be maintained with integrated UAS/RPA ops

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Magnitude of the Challenge

►Today: Approximately 7000 commercial piloted aircraft in service in the US

►Current US RPA activity via COA/exp cert

►2035 US estimates (DOT Volpe report): 14,000 DOD RPA 10,000 Federal Agency RPA 70,000 State/local RPA 175,000 Commercial RPA applications

►Micro (<4.5lb) Small (<55lb) Large (>55lb)

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Why is RPA Integration Important?

To enable us to do things we don’t want to do right now (dull, dirty, dangerous) without adverse safety

impact

► Border patrol/surveillance

► Law enforcement

► Remote survey

► Hazardous commercial operations

RMAX, Scan Eagle

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Minimum Safe Standards

From SC 228:

…In order to safely integrate these platforms into non-segregated airspace, both a robust Detect and Avoid (DAA) and robust and secure Command and Control (C2) Data Link capability need to be established. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office to integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) safely and efficiently into the National Airspace System (NAS).

Estimated Timeline for Phase one MOPS (IFR operations in Class A airspace): July 2016

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Beyond the MOPS

►Pilot training & certification Piloting skills Human Factors Licensing that reflects responsibilities

►Airplanes Maneuvering (ACAS, TAWS, Weather, ATC) Certification

►Operators SOP, training, maintenance, SMS

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Safe Integration Means Teamwork

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Safe Integration Means Harmonization

2.9 Identifying the commonalities and differences between manned and unmanned aircraft is the first steptoward developing a regulatory framework that will provide, at a minimum, an equivalent level of safety for the integration of UAS into non-segregated airspace and at aerodromes

2.13 A key factor in safely integrating UAS in non-segregated airspace will be their ability to act and respond asmanned aircraft do….the performance (e.g.transaction time and continuity of the communications link) as well as the timeliness of the aircraft’s response to ATCinstructions. Performance-based SARPs may be needed for each of these aspects.

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Exporting the Flight Deck to the Ground

►All the same functions Flight control Communications Visibility

►Very different environment Latency, lost link considerations “Gravitas” of remote piloting vs in aircraft Limited sensory input (no seat of the

pants, no smells, no “funny noises”)

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Qantas Flight 32

►3 of 4 engines failed/degraded►54 ECAM messages►Damaged wing, failed hydraulics

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Cyber Security

►Hacking►Spoofing►Jamming

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Physical Security

►Hijacking►Sabotage

Air Line Pilots Association, International

UAS Timeline Challenges

►FMRA 2012: What is the actual expectation for Sept 30, 2015?

►Small UAS Rule?►Test sites: How do you evaluate

integrated operations while meeting current safety standards?

►Relationship with Nextgen Requirements?

Air Line Pilots Association, International

Conclusion

►UAS/RPA have tremendous potential - a matter of when, not if

►For RPA vs “traditional” aircraft, primary distinction is where pilot sits

►Legislative deadlines often incompatible with pace of regulatory & technical development

►Stakeholder involvement, collaboration critical