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Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Laura Novaro Mascarello and Fulvia Quagliotti

The purpose of this study is to define configuration requirements needed to define “harmless” small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) by taking into account mathematical models and…

102

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to define configuration requirements needed to define “harmless” small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) by taking into account mathematical models and ballistic approaches, already defined for small projectiles and now modified, with appropriate assumptions. These safety requirements are related to structures, materials, weight and dimensions, such as the radius of curvature.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the state-of-the-art forensic and ballistic physics models are presented, and then safety requirements are defined for sUAS. This big challenge is due to a lack of regulation because each country and each regulatory authority have published their own regulations, where the imposed requirements are different because the mathematical models, and the related assumptions, are different from one country to another. Therefore, proper assumptions are introduced in these models to obtain safety requirements to define harmless final configuration.

Findings

If the final configuration meets the requirements defined in the methodology, there are no severe injuries on the human body, in case of impact with the sUAS. In other words, the inoffensive configuration can also be used in overcrowded areas without risks for the human life.

Originality/value

The final configuration proposed in this paper has some design features substantially modified, compared to the conventional configuration, and in particular, the sUAS could be the first harmless multicopter certified in Italy.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 90 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

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Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Laura Novaro Mascarello and Fulvia Quagliotti

In the past decades, both civil and military applications of small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) have been on the rise. The sUASs guarantee the performance of dangerous, dull…

262

Abstract

Purpose

In the past decades, both civil and military applications of small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) have been on the rise. The sUASs guarantee the performance of dangerous, dull, duly and dirty missions, according to the 4D rule. The purpose of this study is to describe, some ethical, operational and safety challenges occur owing to the use of sUASs at over-crowded areas or in emergency scenarios. After an overview of the current sUAS regulations, some strategic configuration elements will be analysed to improve these systems and to define safe and inoffensive sUASs. Nevertheless, some problems have not been completely overcome.

Design/methodology/approach

The unmanned vehicles are nowadays applied for different kinds of applications. Search and rescue (S&R) missions; terrain surveillance and monitoring after natural disasters, such as earthquakes and landslides; and transportation of medical equipment and cartography are some examples of the most renowned and important civil missions of sUAS. In all these scenarios, some challenges could be encountered. First, the use of sUASs could compromise the privacy of unaware citizens who are in the area of application. Moreover, even if the unmanned vehicle works according to national and international regulations, there are some hazards both for the ground operators and for the population, because these sUASs could impact the human body after a flight failure.

Findings

In this paper, current principal regulations will be analysed, identifying some differences and discrepancies among them. Moreover, some considerations about the configuration elements are introduced to define the safe use of sUASs. Nevertheless, the privacy challenge is quite complicated to be overcome definitely.

Originality/value

Considering some challenges related to the civil applications of sUASs, new unmanned configurations could be developed to guarantee safety and data protection of unaware people.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 89 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Richard Degenhardt and Leslie J. Cohen

444

Abstract

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 90 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

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