An examination of sUAS operations in proximity to a major U.S. Airport

Abstract

The use of small, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) has proliferated in the past several years. While operators are supposed to avoid operations in the immediate vicinity of airports, there are sometimes violations. In extreme cases, these violations can result in the complete grounding of flights at major airports around the world. These disruptions can lead to thousands of flights canceled and hundreds of thousands of passengers displaced. A compounding problem is the lack of empirical data to understand the amount of, and types of, sUAS operations around major airports. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics of sUAS operations near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) by objectively analyzing data collected over a 36-month timeframe. The findings provide empirical data on the types of sUAS operations around DFW, yearly variance in operations, levels of UAS facility map compliance, types and times of sUAS flown, and sUAS launching points. The data indicates a growing trend in operations between 2018 and 2020, with a possible plateau in 2021 and beyond. sUAS operations in the airport vicinity are high, with approximately 70 % operating in the 400-foot grid levels or at points farther away from critical airport operations. Flights appear to follow seasonality and daily operation patterns, and growth seems to be in smaller vehicles with weights less than 250 g. In addition to the results, the authors discuss practical implications for National Airspace System (NAS) safety and the implications of integrating new operations into communities, such as drone deliveries and Advanced Air Mobility operations.