UAH Autonomous Aerospace Research (A2A) is a leader in the development of FAA standards for drone flight safety, design and operation.
Newswise — Researchers within The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s (UAH) Autonomous Aerospace Research (A2R) center, are leading the development of a standard for ASTM International—formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials—that will assist both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and applicants in certifying small uncrewed aircraft for flight over people.
The objective for the standard is to codify a Means of Compliance required for FAA acceptance for determination of aircraft injury potential, demonstrating that aircraft do not contain exposed rotating parts that can lacerate skin on contact with a human being, and evaluating aircraft designs for safety defects. Means of Compliance is a detailed design standard that, if met, accomplishes the safety intent of the regulation, is used by an applicant to show compliance with part 23 airworthiness standards and is accepted by the Administrator.
The FAA governs/regulates commercial use of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) in Part 107 code of Federal Regulation, which requires the aircraft to meet a particular set of technical and safety requirements. UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System, is leading the ASTM International F38 Committee through the A2R in developing the document, with Chris Duling, the A2R Associate Director and a principal A2R research engineer, serving as the ASTM work item leader for the initiative.
“My working group is developing a document that serves as a guide to applicants for testing and documenting compliance,” Duling explains. “Our group is working with the FAA to gain their acceptance of the various Means of Compliance strategies. Next, we will be forwarding the full document to the F38 uncrewed systems committee to get their feedback on it. Then it goes to a vote for being published by ASTM.”
UAH is playing a regular role in developing UAS standards. Most recently, the university has been the lead for a number of associated tasks as part of the FAA's Center of Excellence program for small unmanned aircraft systems, including Ground Collision Severity Evaluation and an FAA Waiver Case Study.
The most recent initiative is part of a continuing effort launched in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration in 2020 through its program of Transportation Centers of Excellence to help meet an urgent need by manufacturers, operators and original equipment manufacturers for clear and accepted test and validation methods to meet these FAA requirements.
RSS