Embry-Riddle Led Research Identifying When, Where Risks Highest

Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University led a study for the FAA that documents a continued increase in drone usage and identifies hot spots where the risk of mid-air collisions with crewed aircraft may be higher.

The study provides critical info that characterizes patterns of when and where small UAS (<55 lb) fly, to assess and potentially develop ways to mitigate hazards associated with those patterns as the use of drones continues to rise.

It should surprise no one that the study found that sUAS operators sometimes (!) fly above the 400-foot ceiling specified in the FARs for drone flight.

Dr. Ryan Wallace, Associate Professor in the Aeronautical Science Department and principal investigator of the project said, “Study data suggests that a sizable number of small UAS flights take place above that altitude, which could impact the operation of manned aircraft.”

The study data counted 6,037 documented flights with associated altitude info and of that number, more than 570 of them reached between 400 and 500 feet. In addition, nearly 800 drone flights exceeded 500 feet in altitude.

By accounting for flight durations, researchers calculated that drones flew in airspace typically used by manned aircraft approximately 10% of the total cumulative flying time that was observed.

Based on the types of drones used, they also dais the data suggested that flights above 500 feet were “probably” recreational rather than commercial, and that some of the drones operating above 400 feet may have been FAA-approved flights with a waiver or certificate of authorization.

The study also found elevated risk near airports, especially heliports because those are not depicted on FAA aeronautical charts and are “often hidden within urban sprawl” according to Wallace. As a result, the study report specifically recommends including heliport locations on FAA charts to ensure that more drone operators are made aware of them.

Dr. Brent Terwilliger, Associate Professor in the Embry?Riddle Worldwide Department of Aeronautics and contributing researcher, noted the significant contribution of the study’s creation of “a real-world, data-driven picture of how small UAS are actually being used in the National Airspace System,” and that “such information is essential for shaping informed, practical policies and technologies that will enable safe, scalable integration of UAS as operations and autonomy continue to expand.”

Researchers from the Kansas State University and Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research participated in the study, which involved the placement of sensors across the U.S. that collected data from the Remote Identification signals required for registered drones.

FMI:  erau.edu/