Analysis of regulations concerning IFR flights of RPAS unmanned systems in controlled airspace

Abstract

Aerial vehicles class of RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) is a group of unmanned flying vehicles performing non-autonomous flights, controlled by a ground operator. The civil market of RPAS applications is a dynamically growing part of the industry. European strategy establishes to create the environment for performing RPAS civil operations in common airspace (by the 2024-2028 years). Currently, in Europe, the dominant model for RPAS flights is airspace segregation. The aim of this paper is the identification of the fields in regulations that need to be developed towards fulfilling the requirements of RPAS flight integration in common airspace. The attention was focused on the unmanned aircraft operations on controlled airports and within controlled airports airspaces. The analysis of current RPAS regulations was performed with relation to the classification, safety of flights, certification and existing IFR RPAS procedures. The dependence between mass categorization of RPAS and the level of allowed air operations was considered. Selected regulations of international institutions (ICAO, EASA) and national authorities (EU members and outside EU countries) were used. The performed analysis allowed to identify the advance of existing regulations, indicate the advantageous rules for RPAS flights and find the fields in which the further development or modifications are required towards the integration of RPAS IFR flights in common airspace.