10.1.1 Section 10 establishes provides guidance on the elements necessary to assure aviation safety of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), with emphasis on the acquisition, management and operation of UAS.
10.2.1.1 UAS are subject to aviation safety reporting tailored to their design, function, complexity and the level of skill required for their operation and maintenance based on their category of operation. This section provides the Authority defined minimum reporting requirements as referred to in DASR UAS.60.B.2. The full, open, timely and accurate reporting of UAS aviation safety events and issues allows Defence to respond and apply strategies to prevent future reoccurrence of such events and issues.
10.2.1.2 DASR UAS.60 introduces the terms ‘aviation safety event’ and ‘aviation safety issue’ to distinguish between failure of the aviation system while operating and higher-order organisational factors that could lead to a failure of the aviation system while operating.
10.2.1.3 This chapter describes occurrence-reporting requirements for UAS.
Definitions
10.2.1.4 The following definitions are pertinent to this chapter.
Aviation Safety Event11. Any event where an aviation system (including the human element) fails to perform in the expected manner and adversely affects, or could adversely affect, the safety or airworthiness of an aviation system or third party.
Aviation Safety Issue22. A characteristic of an organisation or a system that can reasonably be regarded as having the potential to adversely affect the safe operation of an aircraft, aviation-related equipment or products and services.
Immediate Reporting. Events that are Class A or Class B per Table 1-1 of the DASM.
Routine Reporting. Events that are Class C or Class D per Table 1-1 of the DASM.
|
Event Classification |
Description |
|
Class A |
Personal Injury Level (PIL) of Fatal |
|
Class B |
PIL33 of Serious Aircraft Damage Level (ADL) of Substantial Perceived Risk Level (PRL) of High or Very High |
|
Class C |
PIL of Minor ADL of Moderate PRL of Medium |
|
Class D |
PIL of No Injury ADL of No Damage/Minor Damage PRL of Low or Very Low |
Table 1: Event classifications
10.2.2.1 Some UAS may be considered attritable. However, an event or issue should be considered a UAS Safety Event or Issue if the event or issue results in degradation, or failure, of the risk controls upon which the operational authorisation or approval is based. Paragraphs 10.2.3.4 and 10.2.3.5 provide examples.
10.2.2.2 Figure 1 demonstrates a simple flow chart to aid in determining whether an event or issue is a candidate for reporting via the process provided in DASM
Figure 1: UAS Risk Control Impact
UAS Aviation Safety Events
10.2.2.3 An aviation safety event is characterised by an event occurring that involves a safety-related portion of the UAS and/or supporting systems failing in some way. By definition, a ‘safety-related’ portion of the UAS is any aspect of the UAS that has some control or influence over risk controls or is directly involved in operational use of the UAS— upon which the UAS operational approval was issued. Failure of a safety-related portion of the UAS may directly result in a loss of control of the UAS; or exhibit, or could reasonably have been expected to, exhibit an unintended behaviour.
10.2.2.4 Aviation safety events for UAS are categorised into one or more of the following:
Flight Operations events. Flight operations events are those aviation safety events that degrade the performance of any of the approved risk controls that occurs during activities associated with flight.
Maintenance events. Maintenance events are those aviation safety events that degrade the performance of any of the approved risk controls during the conduct of maintenance activities. These safety events, at the time of identification, had not manifested during the conduct of flight operations.
Other support systems events. Other support systems events that degrade the performance of any of the approved risk controls involving systems or services that functionally and/or physically support the conduct of safe flying operations. These safety events, at the time of identification, had not manifested during the conduct of flight operations.
UAS Aviation Safety Issues
10.2.2.5 An aviation safety issue is an identified shortfall with any organisation supporting the operation of the UAS, which may influence the effectiveness of the organisation, as a risk control for safe operation. Given the organisational focus of safety issues, an aviation safety issue may include identified shortfalls in organisations that:
operate the UAS
provide maintenance services for the UAS
provide engineering services for the UAS
provide training services for the UAS
provide supporting systems for operation of the UAS; including navigation, communications or meteorological services amongst others.
10.2.3.1 DASR Part UAS.60 states that the operator of a UAS must report any identified UAS aviation safety event and that the operator must report UAS aviation safety issues for Certified UAS. Further, it states that the Authority will define minimum reporting requirements for aviation issues through the UASOP approval process for Specific Type A UAS. For Specific Type B and Open Category UAS, there are no mandated reporting requirements. However, command should still consider reporting safety events listed in the examples below.
10.2.3.2 The reporting of UAS aviation safety events must be in accordance with the Defence Aviation Safety Manual (DASM), specifically Part 2, Chapter 1. The DASM provides direction on how to report, event classification and expected timings.
Examples of Safety Events and Issues that ‘a person authorising or operator of a UAS’ must report
10.2.3.3 DASR Part UAS.60 (b).2 indicates the Authority will define the minimum reporting requirements for Specific Type A category UAS in the Authority promulgated UASOP.
10.2.3.4 The following lists capture a non-exhaustive list of UAS Aviation safety events and issues which must be reported via ASR in Sentinel and classified as per DASM Part 2, Section 1.22(b) and 1.23:
collision with crewed aircraft, ground or water based personnel, critical infrastructure.
near collision with crewed aircraft (including Near Mid-Air Collision (NMAC)44), ground or water based personnel, or critical infrastructure
breakdown of deconfliction with crewed aircraft,
personnel injury sustained directly arising from the conduct of the UAS operation
UAS departure from assigned area or operational approved airspace
any activation of the flight termination system (FTS) during flight operations (excluding during routine activations of the FTS; for example, during maintenance)
technical failures and malfunction within a Remote Pilot Station/Ground Control Station with impact on the flight operation safety.
for weaponised UAS, the inadvertent/irregular release or discharge of weapons (where the stores or equipment are configured as part of the UAS).
10.2.3.5 The following safety issues must be reported via an Operational Hazard report:
an implemented operational or technical risk control that was found to be less effective than expected
an identified discrepancy with RP training (including currency, qualification and ongoing management
RP fatigue
operations in weather conditions outside of operational limits
any identified communications breakdown or failure
any organisational failures that have the potential to lead to a UAS aviation safety event.
10.2.3.6 If any of the safety issues listed at item 10.2.3.5 resulted in, or could have reasonably endangered the safety of crewed aircraft, ground or water based personnel, or critical infrastructure, ‘a person authorising or operator of a UAS’ must report such as a UAS safety event.
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