Checking the aircraft's airworthiness isn't enough to reduce danger. That's a good start, but even a safe plane can cause damage, injury, or inconvenience if the pilot isn't aware of the airspace rules or thinking about how to keep people and property safe. While many publications look at risk mitigation, they tend to focus on what users should do rather than what they actually do.
In a recent study, eight hundred twelve users of unmanned aircraft (commonly known as drones) in New Zealand were polled about their confidence in identifying and complying with airspace rules. Furthermore, their ability to read Visual Navigation Charts (VNCs) and use AirShare (a tool that shows airspace requirements) was also checked. The findings are highly relevant for Unmanned Helicopters Market as it demonstrates that fliers should take a more comprehensive approach to identify and minimize potential dangers before taking a flight.
The study discovered that the sole risk reduction practised by nearly all users was performing a pre-flight inspection of their aircraft. However, less than a quarter of AirShare users typically take the following precautions -
- Log their flights
- Check the VNC as per area of operation. It is useful for seeing airspace requirements and potential dangers in the operating area
- Check issued Notices to Airmen, which contain time-sensitive aeronautical information
- Conduct a Job Safety Assessment of the operating area (where you consider potential ground-based and airborne risks in the area
- The way they will manage risks operationally.
A little more than a quarter used airband radio to assist them in better understanding what was going on in the airspace around them. The majority of users followed MFNZ (Model Flying New Zealand) site-specific criteria. But these are only valid when flying at MFNZ sites marked on VNCs so that manned aircraft pilots are aware that aeromodellers may be present. Other risk mitigations must be implemented outside those sites to ensure that airspace requirements are met and that hazards are effectively handled.
According to the team, consumers should take a more comprehensive approach to risk mitigation. They added that it was unexpected to see such a low number of users checking airspace requirements or actively considering airborne and ground-based concerns as risk mitigations. The majority of the people in the sample were MFNZ members who followed their own internal procedures when operating at their own facilities. Nonetheless, it's critical to use alternative risk mitigation techniques when operating elsewhere.