Development of a Framework to Determine a Mandatory Safety Baseline for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) emerge as a viable, operational technology for potential civil and commercial applications in the National Airspace System (NAS). Although this new type of aircraft presents great potential, it also introduces the need for a thorough inquiry into its safety impact on the NAS. This study presents a systems-level approach to analyze the safety impact of introducing a new technology, such as UAS, into the NAS. Utilizing Safety Management Systems (SMS) principles and existing regulatory structure, this paper outlines a methodology to determine a mandatory minimum safety baseline for conducting safe operations in the NAS. In this context, a proof-of-concept study, which applies the proposed framework to Federal Aviation Regulations, is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the methodology at a systems-level.