UAV Flight Risk Assessment Using Quantitative Ground and Air Scores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety risk management systems for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) lack predictability and repeatability due to their qualitative nature, making it difficult to accurately assess and manage risks associated with unmanned flights, particularly in shared airspace with manned aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A quantitative risk management framework that converts qualitative inputs into numerical calculations for ground and air risks, using a computer-implemented platform to provide risk assessments and remediation actions, accessible to operators and regulatory entities, incorporating vehicle and pilot data, flight plans, and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a qualitative risk assessment framework (such as SORA) is used for unmanned aircraft, then the assessment process can be performed, but the predictability and repeatability of risk calculations are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual, qualitative mechanical assessment process with an automated computational system that uses algorithms and software to perform quantitative risk calculations. The risk assessment module automatically processes flight plan data, vehicle data, and environmental data through computational algorithms to generate numerical risk scores, eliminating the need for manual qualitative evaluation and thereby improving predictability and repeatability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms qualitative risk factors into quantitative parameters that can be numerically calculated and compared. By defining specific parameters such as population density, airspace occupancy, vehicle performance metrics, and environmental conditions as measurable quantities, the system enables consistent mathematical computation of risk levels, enhancing the reliability and repeatability of assessments.
2Productivity
If a qualitative checklist approach is used for risk management, then human operators can perform assessments, but the time required for approval is extended to days or weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-assessment where the risk evaluation platform independently processes flight plans, vehicle data, and environmental conditions without requiring extensive manual review by regulators. The automated generation of quantitative risk scores and mitigation recommendations allows the system to perform assessments rapidly, reducing preflight evaluation time from days or weeks to minutes or hours.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual review process with automated computational processing. The risk assessment module uses software algorithms to rapidly analyze multiple data sources and generate risk evaluations, eliminating the time-consuming human review process while maintaining assessment quality through systematic computational methods.
3Measurement precision
If subjective human analysis is used for risk determination, then operator experience can be applied, but the measurements become limited by human limitations in training, flight time, and certification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective human judgment with objective computational analysis. The system uses standardized algorithms and mathematical models to calculate risk based on measurable parameters, eliminating biases and limitations associated with human operators while maintaining consistency across different assessments. The computational approach can objectively evaluate diverse operational conditions using the same systematic methodology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts subjective risk factors into objective, measurable parameters that can be precisely quantified. By defining specific metrics for population density, airspace occupancy, vehicle performance, and environmental conditions, the system achieves high measurement precision through numerical calculation rather than subjective estimation, while the standardized parameters enable consistent adaptation to various operational scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
Data associated with a flight, including a flight plan, a vehicle, and/or a pilot is processed via a risk assessment platform to obtain one of more numerical risk values, for example a ground risk value and an air risk value. Based on the processed data, a matrix of risk assessment decisions is generated containing risk related information (such as risk remediation information). Accordingly, based on a consistent set of risk relation information, a predictable and repeatable flight decision (such as a decision whether to fly, or an adjustment to a flight route) can be made. In some instances, the data to be processed is quantitative data collected from one or more third party systems, such as sensor data or geospatial data. The risk assessment platform includes toolkits or services to be used in the processing and transformation of this data to reach a risk assessment decision.