Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System

The unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) community is waiting to take full advantage of the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS).One concern that must be addressed before UASs can be integrated into the UAS is whether or not the UASs community is open and receptive to recommendations regarding safety.In April of 2006, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) MQ-9 Predator B crashed.The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident; the board's final report included a number of recommendations for improving operations of UASs in the NAS.This study discusses the actions taken by the CBP and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated (GA-ASI) in response to the NTSB's Safety Recommendations following their accident investigation.The extent to which the board's recommendations were incorporated will provide insight into the feasibility of incorporating UASs into the NAS.Overall findings reveal an age range of 39 to 59 years of age of predominantly white male pilots and sensor operators.Federal Aviation Administration certificated pilots: 41.0%Commercial pilots; 43.6% Air Transport pilots; 51.3% flight instructors; and 74.4% with instrument ratings.Forty one percent of those with a pilot certificate had relied on military experience to acquire those certificates.Eighty eight percent of the respondents were predominantly in agreement that the UAS community was receptive to NTSB safety recommendations.Respondents mostly disagreed that the UAS community was receptive to the recording of conversations.Respondents predominantly disagreed that contemporary aspects of human factors had been designed into operator control interfaces and Ground Control System layout.