Sociology Report: A Case Study on UAS Integration and Safety for CASA

This report examines the safety implications of integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). It begins with an introduction to UAS, highlighting their components and applications, particularly drone technology, and emphasizes the challenges CASA faces in integrating these technologies safely into air traffic management. The report identifies the problem statement, which includes the increasing use of drones for both personal and commercial purposes, and the need for CASA to expand their usage in both uncontrolled and controlled airspace. It then details the significance of the problem, focusing on the regulations associated with UAS, particularly CASR Part 101, and the risks associated with UAS operations, such as collisions and hacking. The report proposes two alternative actions: complying with regulations for large-scale drone operations and operating with small-range, lightweight drones. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each, considering regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and safety concerns. The conclusion recommends that CASA strengthens its training, operation, and control systems, and that CASR should have more strict and profound regulatory structure. The report suggests that CASA should incorporate large-scale, longer-range drone operations with drones which are more than 150Kg and develop an independent audit system and funding to ensure the functionality of UAS system with risk assessment. Finally, the report includes a list of relevant references.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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1. Introduction/Summary
The UAS Unmanned Aircraft Systems is an aviation system that allows remote
controlling of small aircraft without involving a pilot physically in the aircraft. The most
common utility of UAS is drone that can be controlled remotely through radio frequency
modulation. An unmanned is consists of three components, namely an autonomous or human
operated control system, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a command and control system (Jiang
et al., 2016). The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) refers to the Australian National
Authority for the regulation of civil aviation. The challenge for Air Traffic Management (ATM)
is how to integrate the new technologies safely into airspace along with continuing efficient as
well as effective operations. In the following paragraph, a case study based on safety implication
for integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for CASA has been analysed. For CAAS,
safety implications for UAS operations that are addressing increasing demand in air traffic
management will be conducted.
2. Problem Statement
Drone or standard Unmanned Aircrafts are commonly used in both personal and
commercial purposes. CASA has begin to permit local and small Case UAS operations while
researching for the opportunities for expanding usage in both uncontrolled as well as controlled
airspace. There are many operations where CASA can incorporate Drone based UAS operation
in their territory. The types of operations that will be available at CASA include:
 Aerial photography
 Surveying
 Vegetation monitoring

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 Fire fighting support
 Pollution monitoring
 Mine site surveys
 Electricity power line
 pole surveys Law enforcement
3. Significance of the Problem
When it comes to the regulations associate with CASA UAS regulatory development
includes CASR Part 101 which targets Unmanned Aircraft, Rockets and Model Aircraft
(Clothier & Walker, (2015). The access of UAVs to civilian airspace by the regular and secure
creates many problems which affect virtually every part of the technical, functional, and legal
aircraft scheme. At the same time there are several risks associated with this UAV operation.
Three major risks are:
 Collision with other civilian and cargo aircrafts (air to air collision)
 Collision with ground objects such as buildings, trees, humans and others (air to ground)
 Hacking of radio frequency modulation system
The collision can occur because of two major faults namely moving the vehicle beyond-
visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) and loosing the access to the radio frequency receiver. The radio
frequency breach can also be caused anonymous or unauthorised third parity system control.
A challenging task is the detection and avoidance of aircraft and other UAV-related
items. UAVs must be "see and prevent" and are capable of detecting planes or other obstructions
and of safe and securely steering them away from them. In FAA consultative circle 90-48C,
Pilot's Role in Collision Avoidance, the pilot has responsibility for flying aircraft operations.

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4. Alternative Action 1: Complying with the regulation to use drone for large
scale operations
CASA can use the UAS or drone technology for their large scale business operation that
involves higher altitude flying with the more than 150 Kg drone. To implement these operations
CASA has to comply with certain regulations of security issues considered as security, safety, air
transport, environmental and socio-economic problems structured into 5 important groups
(Jones, 2017). In the layout and operation of any complex system, safety hazards are prevalent.
No exceptions are UAVs. Some major regulation associated with UAV management or remotely
piloted aircraft (RPA) are:
 Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) in Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations
1998 (Cth) (CASR)
 Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Part 101) Regulation 2016 (Cth)
 General Operating Rules: Subpart 101.C
 Operating Large RPA and Operating Other RPA for Nonrecreational Purposes: Subpart
101.F
 Regulation for Operating Model Aircraft: Subpart 101.G
 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), with supporting Procedures for Air
Navigation Services (PANS) from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Advantages:
The major advantage of operating large scale operations with more than 150Kg weighty drone in
their UAS, is that it will allow them to monitor a large area with higher efficiency and speed.

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These drone can also be used to operate heavy materials and executing lifting operations in
special situations.
Disadvantages:
However, there are some disadvantages of using heavy drones while complying with
these regulations. These limitations are highly associated with the current limitations of UAS
regulations. These limitations include:
1. The Civial Aviation Safety regulationsof Australia 101 was drafted 10 years ago. Thus
the CASR lacks regulations for current issues.
2. Highly limited operational experience to draw from
3. Highly limited details have been provided in regulations as well as Advisory Circulars
on qualifications, risk management, airworthiness, or operational approvals
4. The regulation only provides a basis for oversight
5. The industry lacks guidance
6. The emerging and rapid increment of the activity levels as well as request for approvals
enhance the probability of unsafe decisions
5. Alternative Action 2: Operating scale operations with small range light
weight Drone
CASA can avoid the above mentioned boundaries through using light weight drone
operation for small distance surveillance. Therefore, to incorporate light weight UAS or Drone
operation in their normal operations some changes CASA can focus on their business rather than
large scale aviation related regulation compliance.

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Advantages
Incorporating to ensure the safety and securities for Drone operations which are less than
150 kg, the operational unit must have the following advantages:
 Personnel approval as well as UAS Operating Certificate will not be required in sic case
 Certificate of Registration will not be required as well
 Running Maintenance Program will be more easier to execute because of small scale
involvement in aviation operation
 Airworthiness Certificate will not be required for internal business operations.
Disadvantage:
However, to perform regular business activities with light weight drone the UAS of
CASA should also comply with some minor regulatory issues and operational codes of conducts
that can be considered as disadvantages as well. These are:
 Keeping the Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAV) on the course of limited operational zone
that would not be considered under the Civial Aviation Safety regulations of Australia
 CASA will also need to Ensure that even in their limited range flight they are operated in a
safe and secure way
 They must avoid collisions that can cause from smaller drones
6. Conclusion and final recommendation
From the above discussion and analysis it can be said that for integration of Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Drone, CASA needs to strengthen their training, operation and
controlling system. Besides, CASR need more strict and profound regulatory structure that can

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be complied to enhance the UAS safety and security. From the advantages and disadvantage
analysis of two possible way out of incorporating Drone in regular operation, it can be said that
since in both options CASA needs to comply with some basic sets of regulatory limitations,
CASA should comply all the required regulations and incorporate large scale, longer range drone
operation with drones which are more than 150Kg . CASA should take some strategic initiatives
to adopt UAS or drone operations in their regular operations:
 Imposing all regulations and associated code of conducts for their internal drone
operation Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and General Operating Rules: Subpart 101.C
 CASA has to develop an independent audit system that can investigate the functionality
of UAS system with risk assessment to monitor, mitigate and control operations
 Funding adequately to ensure equipment qualities and radio frequency functionalities
 Strengthening workforce through recruitment, training and development of existing
employee

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Reference
Bartsch, R., Coyne, J., & Gray, K. (2016). Drones in Society: Exploring the strange new world
of unmanned aircraft. Taylor & Francis.
Clothier, R. A., & Walker, R. A. (2015). Safety risk management of unmanned aircraft
systems. Handbook of unmanned aerial vehicles, 2229-2275.
Clothier, R. A., Williams, B. P., & Fulton, N. L. (2015). Structuring the safety case for
unmanned aircraft system operations in non-segregated airspace. Safety science, 79, 213-
228.
Jiang, T., Geller, J., Ni, D., & Collura, J. (2016). Unmanned Aircraft System traffic management:
Concept of operation and system architecture. International journal of transportation
science and technology, 5(3), 123-135.
Jones, T. (2017). International commercial drone regulation and drone delivery services (No.
RR-1718/3-RC). RAND.