Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 3: Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators (2019)

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Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators i Contents  1  Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3  1.1  Background ........................................................................................................................................................ 3  1.2  Overview of “Potential Uses of UAS for Airport Operators “ ................................................................ 3  1.3  Guidebook Audience and Format ................................................................................................................. 4  2  UAS Uses at Airports .......................................................................................................... 5  2.1  Airport Uses ...................................................................................................................................................... 5  2.2  UAS Types ......................................................................................................................................................... 6  2.3  Sensors ................................................................................................................................................................ 6  2.3.1  RGB/High-Resolution Video/Photography .......................................................................................................... 7  2.3.2  Thermal........................................................................................................................................................................ 7  2.3.3  Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) ................................................................................................................... 7  2.4  Summary of UAS Platforms and Sensors ..................................................................................................... 8  2.5  Impacts of UAS Use at Airports .................................................................................................................... 9  2.5.1  Safety .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10  2.5.2  Efficiency ................................................................................................................................................................... 10  2.5.3  Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................................................ 10  2.6  Airports Using UAS: ...................................................................................................................................... 11  3  Integrating UAS Related Risk into an SMS Plan .............................................................. 11  3.1  Components of a UAS SMS ......................................................................................................................... 12  3.2  Understanding and Assessing Risk of UAS Operations at Airports ...................................................... 12  3.2.1  Identifying Sources of Risk Due to UAS Operations ......................................................................................... 13  3.2.2  Evaluating Risk due to UAS Operations .............................................................................................................. 13  3.2.3  Assessment of Risk .................................................................................................................................................. 16  3.3  Mitigating Risk Due to UAS Operations .................................................................................................... 17  4  Approach to Conducting UAS Operations at Airports .................................................... 19  4.1  Pre-planning Coordination............................................................................................................................ 19  4.1.1  Stakeholder and Community Engagement ........................................................................................................... 19  4.1.2  FAA Engagement ..................................................................................................................................................... 20  4.1.3  Air Traffic Control Engagement ............................................................................................................................ 21  4.1.4  Waiver and Authorization Process ........................................................................................................................ 21  4.2  Flight Planning ................................................................................................................................................ 22  4.2.1  Establishing Mission Parameters ............................................................................................................................ 23  4.2.2  Data Collection ......................................................................................................................................................... 24  4.2.3  Communications Protocol ...................................................................................................................................... 26  4.3  Executing the Operation ............................................................................................................................... 27 

Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators   ii 4.3.1  Pre-flight .................................................................................................................................................................... 27  4.3.2  Deconfliction Procedure and Return to Home.................................................................................................... 28  5  UAS Demonstration Case Studies .................................................................................... 29  5.1  Front Range Airport (KFTG)/ Colorado Air and Space Port ................................................................ 29  5.1.1  Pre-Planning Coordination ..................................................................................................................................... 29  5.1.2  Flight Planning .......................................................................................................................................................... 31  5.1.3  Executing the Operation ......................................................................................................................................... 32  5.1.4  Conclusions and Lessons Learned ......................................................................................................................... 33  5.2  Johnston Regional Airport ............................................................................................................................ 33  5.2.1  Pre-Planning Coordination ..................................................................................................................................... 33  5.2.2  Flight Planning .......................................................................................................................................................... 34  5.2.3  Executing the Operation ......................................................................................................................................... 36  5.2.4  Conclusions and Lessons Learned ......................................................................................................................... 36  5.3  Sebring Regional Airport ............................................................................................................................... 36  5.3.1  Pre-Planning Coordination ..................................................................................................................................... 37  5.3.2  Flight Planning .......................................................................................................................................................... 38  5.3.3  Executing the Operation ......................................................................................................................................... 41  5.3.4  Conclusions and Lessons Learned ......................................................................................................................... 41  6  Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 42  6.1  UAS Use Case Matrix .................................................................................................................................... 42  6.2  Sample UAS SMS Plan .................................................................................................................................. 44  7  References ........................................................................................................................ 45