Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)

Australia's Opportunity

The unmanned aerial vehicle industry is considered to be the next big opportunity in the aerospace industry. This sector of the industry is reported to be worth about US$3.4 billion annually and is expected to grow to US$7 billion in the next 10 years.

A number of UAV research organizations and manufacturers are already based in Australia. Australia was at the forefront of regulating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) which consist of the UAV and the supporting ground based systems. It made and implemented Civil Aviation Safety Regulation (CASR) Part 101 a few years ago, and I understand has issued a small number of operating certificates to organizations using this equipment. Click here to see CASR Part 101.

Other large aviation countries have not yet made rules to regulate unmanned systems, although have formed committees to start the process. The FAA for example, has recently formed a committee to make the rules but it is unlikely that these will be completed until about 2011. I note that the South African CAA has also done likewise. Notwithstanding, many of these countries have good guidance material which assists industry in research and development.

The stumbling block has always been about the protection of people on the ground and other airspace users. The air traffic managment issues are real if the aircraft has a serious failure and control is lost. System redundancy and emerging sense and avoid technology may be the answer nervous regulators are looking for.

Another issue of concern, but one which may also accellerate regulation of UAS is that of security. Use of military UAV in recent conflicts has proven that they can be a potent weapon or an effective surveillance platform.

All of this points to a good opportunity for Australia which has not been lost on the Federal Governement and the Queensland State Government in particular. Queensland often markets itself as the "Smart State" and one which actively touts for aerospace business. It is a major sponsor the the Queensland UAV Outback Challenge which is an annual event held in Kingaroy. Click here to see the website. Australia has fairly simple and uncluttered airspace and wide open spaces; ideal for testing UAVs. It also has the capability for research, developement and manufacturing UAS equipment.

The Part 101 rule was a really good attempt at regulating this emerging industry sector, but some minor problems were dsiscovered in the implementation. These rules need to be reviewed in light of the changing social and technological environment to ensure that Australia remains in the forefront of UAS regulation. A complementary review of CASA's processes should be undertaken to ensure best possible efficiency and effectiveness of its regulatory function.

Robert Collins | Friday, June 13, 2008 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink