Seeing the Threat: Pilot Visual Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Visual Meteorological Conditions is a study by Jon M. Loffi, Ryan J. Wallace, Jamey D. Jacob, and Jared C. Dunlap.
One significant challenge in integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) is the risk of midair collisions between manned aircraft and unmanned systems. Currently, there is no established benchmark for Detect, Sense & Avoid Systems in UAS, which primarily focuses on manned aircraft pilots to identify and avoid potential collision threats visually. The unique characteristics, diverse configurations, and wide-ranging applications of UAS platforms make them particularly challenging to detect visually.
This research paper aimed to determine the average visibility distance of small UAS systems (sUAS) for pilots flying general aviation aircraft under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and being alerted to the presence of UAS. The study evaluated the average visibility distance of various sUAS platforms using a predefined set of UAS convergence conditions. The research design employed a mixed-method approach, where a general aviation aircraft was flown into an area designated for UAS operations. The participating pilots were instructed to locate a flying UAS without any assistance in determining its bearing. The UAS and manned aircraft were assigned altitudes that ensured vertical separation, and the UAS executed a series of converging and crossing courses relative to the manned aircraft. The distance at which the pilot visually spotted the UAS platform was recorded electronically using a GPS tracking device. The gathered data was then analyzed to identify significant differences in visibility among the various convergence conditions. Additionally, qualitative data was collected through participant comments and observations documented by an in-flight safety observer.
Publication Date- September 2016
Seeing the Threat: Pilot Visual Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Visual Meteorological Conditions contains the following major sections:
- Problem
- Purpose
- Method
- Findings & Discussion
- Conclusions
- Recommendations
- Suggestions for Further Research
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Authors- Jon M. Loffi, Ryan J. Wallace, Jamey D. Jacob, and Jared C. Dunlap
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