UAV DACH has created a proposal for a new air risk assessment methodology to be considered by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for further regulatory initiatives. The methodology could also be discussed at the upcoming plenary meeting of the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) in Ghana.
Developed by experts from UAV DACH member organizations, the methodology offers a transparent, data-driven approach to assessing the air risk associated with UAS operations in urban environments. It accounts for crewed aircraft legally permitted to operate at low altitudes, including emergency medical and police flights.
Calculations based on representative German cities show that the resulting air risk remains low – even when estimated traffic volumes are doubled by applying a conservative 100% safety margin. The methodology therefore provides aviation authorities with quantitative evidence that can complement existing assessments under the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) framework.
If accepted by EASA and the national aviation authorities of European Member States, the methodology could facilitate proportionate approval processes and contribute to the safe and scalable deployment of UAS operations in urban areas.
Die The air risk assessment methodology is available for download here.