A Flight Demonstration Approach for UAV in Controlled Airspace Including Safety Aspects

摘要

Uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAV) experience an increased attention for various military and civil applications. Especially these civil applications as well as training requirements for the military UAV require these vehicles to operate in controlled airspace. Currently, no commonly practised and accepted procedures exist for certification and acceptance of UAV in controlled airspace. All UAV operations up to now have been performed in restricted areas (TRA temporary restricted areas) without or low population density, over oceans, in a time limited fashion, or during military battle field operations. The present paper describes a flight test demonstration approach how the existing German category I and II certification standards can be extended to also cover category III UAV like Global Hawk. Necessary activities include definition of operational requirements, development of standard and emergency procedures. Main focus is always on the inter-action with air traffic control (ATC) while addressing issues like mission planning (flight plan), flight guidance and control, communications, secure separation to other aircraft, autonomous landing, and data link. The flight test demonstration approach for emergency procedures due to loss of data link, loss of communication with ATC, system failures and external disturbances will be covered as well. The importance of system safety is discussed and possible modifications of manned aircraft regulations - for example JAR / FAR 25 - are introduced. One resulting point is a pragmatic definition of a safety factor for flight critical subsystems that may cause catastrophic events on malfunction.