The Effect of Airport Safety on Drones/UAVs: A Dissertation

This dissertation investigates the impact of airport safety regulations and practices on the operation of drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The study examines the operational processes of drones, their benefits in surveillance, and the negative impacts they pose to airport security and normal operations. Through a comprehensive literature review and primary data collection, including an interview with an experienced consultant, the research identifies key challenges such as the risk of collisions and disruptions to air traffic. The dissertation explores the effect of airport safety on drone operations, analyzing contingency plans, safety measures, and the search for effective solutions. The research also recommends strategies to mitigate risks and improve the integration of drones within the airspace, addressing issues like the need for specialized consultancy and the development of effective drone management systems to ensure safety and efficiency. The study concludes by linking the findings to the research objectives, discussing limitations, and suggesting future research directions.

Running head: DISSERTATION
Dissertation: An effect of Airport Safety on Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Acknowledgement
Conducting the research study enhances me to improve my knowledge as well as analytical
ability. It gave me the chance to face challenges all the while and conquer them. It will not be
possible to conduct the research without the significant direction of my professors, companions
and every one of who have added to this advancing knowledge. I also want to thank my
supervisor __________ for helping me in my research work as well as give their full support
during the research process. I would also thank all the participants within this study for giving
their time and helping me out. From the support of people, I am inspired to work on the research
in this subject area. Finally, thank you to my family members those help me and encourage me.
Thank You.

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Abstract
A research is undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of the effect of airport safety on the
drones or unmanned aerial vehicle. Drone offers a number of benefits and has numerous
applications in the field of surveillance, emergency and for other purpose. However, the
operations of the drones at the vicinity of the airport may cause serious problems leading to
closure of the airport. The research study analyses the effective approach of assessing the main
risks that are linked with unmanned vehicles. The research study identifies the operational
process of drones and the risks that drones causes to the normal operations of the airport. The
research study is divided into a number of chapters for better understanding of the research
process. The literature review chapter is important for collection of data from the secondary
sources, while in this particular research, primary data is collected as well in form of interview.
The collected data are analysed to find answers to the identified research questions.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................6
1.1. Background of the study...........................................................................................6
1.2. Research Aims and Objectives.................................................................................8
1.2.1. Aims of the study...............................................................................................8
1.2.2. Objectives of the study......................................................................................8
1.3. Research Questions...................................................................................................9
1.4. Problem Statement....................................................................................................9
1.5. Rationale of the study.............................................................................................10
1.6. Structure of the Study.............................................................................................10
Chapter 2: Literature Review.............................................................................................12
2.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................12
2.2. The concept of UAV...............................................................................................12
2.2.1. Operational Process of UAV...........................................................................13
2.2.2. The use of Drones and its impact....................................................................14
2.3. Benefit/Use of Drones in Surveillance...................................................................15
2.3.1. Drones in Vicinity of Airport..........................................................................16
2.4. Issues faced due to operations of drones near airport.............................................18
2.5. Effect of Airport safety on Drones.........................................................................20
2.6. Strategies for reducing the negative effects............................................................21

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2.7. Chapter Summary...................................................................................................25
Chapter 3: Methodology and Research Activity...............................................................27
3.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................27
3.2. Research Philosophy...............................................................................................28
3.3. Research Approach.................................................................................................28
3.5. Research Design.....................................................................................................29
3.6. Data Collection Process..........................................................................................29
3.7 Data Analysis...........................................................................................................31
3.8. Sampling Method....................................................................................................31
3.8.1. Sample Size.....................................................................................................32
3.9. Ethical Consideration..............................................................................................32
3.10. Chapter Summary.................................................................................................33
Chapter 4: Data Collection, Results and Analysis.............................................................35
4.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................35
4.2. Analysis of the Primary Data..................................................................................35
4.3. Analysis of the Secondary Data..............................................................................40
4.4. Chapter Summary...................................................................................................41
Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations..................................................................42
5.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................42
5.2. Discussion...............................................................................................................42

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5.3. Recommendations...................................................................................................46
5.4. Chapter Summary...................................................................................................47
Chapter 6: Conclusion, Key Findings and Future Work...................................................48
6.1. Conclusion..............................................................................................................48
6.2. Linking with Objectives.........................................................................................49
6.3. Recommendations...................................................................................................52
6.4. Limitations of research...........................................................................................52
6.5 Future scope of the study.........................................................................................52
References..........................................................................................................................54

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1. Background of the study
An unnamed aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone is an aircraft or a flying robot that has a
number of applications related to safety, monitoring and various other business purposes. The
technology of drone is further used by the defence industry for monitoring purposes. One
example of making use of drone for business purpose involve its use in the insurance companies,
for accessing the damage in property related to flood, flooding and other natural or man-made
disasters (Rao, Gopi and Maione 2016.). These inspections by drones help in assisting the claim
process of insurance and therefore is used by the insurance companies. The drones are software
controlled devices with very less human intervention (Zeng, Zhang and Lim 2016). Drones are
often used in situation where the use of manned flight are considered to be risky and difficult.
Therefore, it can be said that one of the most significant applications of drones include aerial
surveillance and therefore, its presence in airport surveillance is obvious as well. However, the
prospect of expanding use of unnamed aerial vehicles has resulted in increase of a number of
understandable and major concerns to the lawmakers. The issues are mainly related to safety and
security. The increasing security concerns have resulted in enforcement of laws that prohibits the
use of drones. This has been possible because of a campaign by privacy advocates that managed
to convince, 13 states for regulating the use of drones (Ding et al. 2018). In this campaign, the
threat related to pervasive surveillance by drone is further discussed. However, in some cases,
the use of drones becomes increasingly important, as monitoring by drones enforces safety and
privacy.

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One of the most widespread application of drones is its use in airports. The drones are
mainly used for enforcing effective security monitoring within airport premises. There are a
number of benefits of making use of drones in airports (Stevenson, O’Young and Rolland 2015).
These include identification of foreign objects in airport premises, integration of the runway
surveys and enforcing perimeter security. As a part of the airport security, drones are used in
foreign object detection. An aerial detection of the foreign objects is possible with the drones.
The runway integrity surveys indicate that drones can certainly be used for providing 3D map of
runaways in a very short span of time.
However, the increasing use of drones in airport security enforces certain issues related to
airport security. Through this research report, the researcher tries to analyse the effect of airport
safety on drones and in unnamed aerial vehicle. The increase in the use of drones questions the
safety needs of the airports. The research will be analysing the negative impacts of the use of
drones at airports. One such example is related to the Gatwick airport London. This airport has
been brought to standstill after a number of drones were reported flying over the airport. The use
of drones near the airport vicinity increases the risks of collision (Clarke 2014). Thus, the
increase in the number of unmanned aerial vehicle increases the challenges faced in the aviation
industry along with the air traffic control that is responsible for safe flight operations in the
controlled airspaces. It is necessary to analyse the connection between air traffic control and
unmanned aerial vehicles (Strohmeier et al. 2014). Through this research report, the challenges
caused by the operations of aerial unmanned vehicles in airports will be analysed. The report
aims in safety assessment and risk estimation of the drones operating in the vicinity of the
airport. On analysing the effect of drones on airport safety, the report will try to address the

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problems faced by the increase in number of drones, with an aim of reducing the accidents.
Serious concerns are identified regarding the use of drones at airports which needs attention.
1.2. Research Aims and Objectives
This section of the research report introduces the readers to the aim and the objectives
related to the execution of this research project.
1.2.1. Aims of the study
The undertaken research study mainly aims in analysing the effect of airport safety on
drones or unmanned aerial vehicle. It is quite critical to analyse the effect of drone surveillance
on safety considerations of the airport. The report will be analysing the need of considering and
limiting the use of drones in airport in consideration of the safety in airport. It becomes essential
to understand the negative impact of drones in airport safety. It is integral to control the entry of
the drones in vicinity of the airports in order to reduce drone related accidents, discontinuation of
the services, along with increase in obstruction in airport traffic. In this context, the operational
process of drones, its use in airport surveillance along with the need of controlling the use of
drones will be analysed in this research project. From the aim of the research, the objectives of
the research study is identified.
1.2.2. Objectives of the study
The researcher aims in fluffing the following objective of the research.
 To understand the operations of UAV or drone
 To understand the benefits of UAV

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 To identify the main use of UAV in airport surveillance
 To understand the negative impact of use of drone in airport vicinity
 To analyse the effect of airport safety on drones or unmanned aerial vehicle
 To recommend strategies to improve the impact of the airport safety on drones
1.3. Research Questions
On basis of the identified objectives in the section above, a number of research questions
are generated for the research study. For completing this study in a successful manner, it is
necessary for the researcher to identify answers to the following questions-
 What is the operational process related to the use of drones?
 How are drones beneficial for effective surveillance?
 How are drones used in airport surveillance?
 How the use of drones at the vicinity of the airport does affects the normal
operations of the aircrafts?
 What is the effect of airport safety on drones?
 What are the strategies that can improve the operations of drone near the airport?
The successful execution of the research study is linked with finding answers to the
identified research questions. Finding answer to all these major research questions are essential
to address the issue that has been identified. The identified issues are analysed on basis of the
problem statement identified in the section below.
1.4. Problem Statement

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It is observed that the use and the utility of the unmanned vehicles have increased in the
recent years. This is particularly because of the increase in the application of the unmanned
vehicles. Technological innovation in the use of drone has increase its operations in the recent
years. However, the increase in the use of drones, increases the security and the privacy risks. A
number of laws have been enforced to address the security risks linked with the use of these
unmanned vehicles (Clarke and Moses 2014). However, the main issue that is faced in use of
drones in airport surveillance is the increase in the risk of the accidents due to sightings of the
drones blocking the normal path of aircrafts (Gettinger and Michel 2015). The research has been
undertaken to analyse the main cause of such accidents and also aims in analysis of its effect on
airport safety. By the end of the study, the researcher aims in identification of the strategies that
can help in reducing the risks and the issues linked with the use of drones in management of the
safety in airports.
1.5. Rationale of the study
The research study that is undertaken is vital as it addresses one of the most significant
concerns related to the increase in the use of unmanned vehicles or drones (Vattapparamban et
al. 2016). Undertaking this research project was essential in order to address the security issues
related to the aircrafts and its operations (Hubbard et al. 2017). The increasing obstruction of the
drones in the vicinity of the airport creating problems in normal landing of the aircrafts will be
analysed in this research study. The completion of the research in a successful manner will
address the issues linked with airport safety and the use of drones.
1.6. Structure of the Study

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The research will be completed in form of different chapters which are indicated as
follows-
Chapter 1: Introduction- This chapter introduces the topic to readers and identified the aims and
the objectives
Chapter 2: Literature Review- This chapter analyses the secondary data sources to collect
information related to the topic.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology: The techniques and the processes to be used in the research
is discussed in the research methodology chapter
Chapter 4: Data Collection and Analysis: The data related to the research will be collected and
analysed in this chapter
Chapter 5: Discussion- The results from the data collection and analysis will be discussed in this
chapter
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations- The important findings of the research study
will be analysed in this chapter.