FSF Panel to Focus on AAM Safety Challenges

Advancing safety and innovation in autonomous and remotely piloted aviation and addressing the challenges posed by advanced air mobility (AAM) will be the focus of Flight Safety Foundation’s Autonomous and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Capability (ARPAC) Advisory Committee over the next two years.

The committee, which is comprised of leaders from academia, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations, is led by recently appointed chair David Hansell who serves as unmanned aircraft systems inspector at the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Hansell, who has experience with the IAA in the implementation of progressive drone regulations and successful domestic and international drone delivery, will work with ARPAC members on addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by AAM.

In addition, Dr. Carl Pankok Jr., the lead human factors engineer with Foundation member company Merlin, will chair the committee’s human factors focused work. Pankok will lead efforts focused on addressing human factors in flight deck and control station automation to enhance aviation safety. One proposed focus area is the study of the effects, measurement, and prevention of cognitive underload – challenges facing new entrants looking to leverage increasing levels of autonomy.

Recently, the ARPAC Advisory Committee developed an information paper that was accepted and referenced at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s 14th Air Navigation Conference in Montreal. The paper, “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)/Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Data Sharing and ‘Right Sized’ Safety Management System,” emphasized the critical need for enhanced data sharing among AAM vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operators to promote safety management systems. The paper establishes a foundation for future collaborations on data and safety management for autonomous operations.

In addition, ARPAC continues to support collaboration with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. As part of that effort, two invitation-only workshops have been conducted recently and two more are expected to be held in the next few months. These efforts have contributed to ongoing work that could drive the integration of UAS and AAM activities through digitally enabled cooperative operations.

For further information on ARPAC or to learn how you can participate on the committee, please contact Foundation Associate Director Harrison Wolf (Wolf@flightsafety.org) or David Hansell (David.HANSELL@iaa.ie).