Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Threats34th Airline/ATS Safety Forum1 – 2 June 2017

Angela GarveyAviation Regulatory Performance Leading Specialist

Current state of playKey Considerations• Rapid advances in technology• Exact numbers of recreational RPAS unknown• Management practices uncertain• Pilots reporting RPAS in controlled airspace

CASR Part 101 CASR Part 101 amendments 29 September 2016• You can fly your recreational RPAS within the 3nm radius of an aerodrome,

but can not operate on the approach and departure path, or within the movement area

• Flying for fun – recreational RPAS – up to 150kg

Recreational RPAS issues1. There is no regulatory

impediment to purchase an RPAS – a child can buy one

2. There is no minimum qualification to fly an RPAS recreationally

3. A recreational user can fly an RPAS up to 150kg

4. Unregulated commercial user under 2kg can operate under the same recreational rules

5. RPAS are being reported in controlled airspace

What we know now – RPAS occurrence data

• Airspace infringement and aircraft confliction data• Increase in occurrence rate over the past two years• 61% of occurrences are airspace infringements• 24% of occurrences are aircraft conflictions – potential increasing trend

RPAS occurrence data - altitude

• Most are above 1000ft• Most occurrences above 5000ft have been recorded in the past 12

months

RPAS occurrence data – aircraft confliction

ATSB Forecast

• ATSB tried to estimate the expected number of monthly occurrences based on ATSB incident reports

• “Our report seeks to better understand the implications for transport safety associated with the expected continual growth in the number of RPAS in Australia” – Chief Commissioner, Greg Hood

What is happening now• Global interest – ICAO, FAA

• Australian Senate Inquiry – due to report on 6 December 2017

1. Safety Awareness and Training

2. Registration and Tracking

3. Aviation Safety

• ATSB – Safety Analysis of (RPAS)

• Increased education

• Industry collaboration

RPAS for good• Lifesaving• Disaster management• Public safety• Emergency response• Law enforcement/defence• Agriculture• Mining

What is Airservices doing?Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee Submission

Jason Harfield – Chief Executive Officer, December 2016

• Refining air traffic control processes and systems

• Contributing to regulatory and policy change, and

• Enhancing RPAS and aviation community knowledge and education

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Threats

Discussion

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today- Abraham Lincoln