Proposal to use uas in the investigation of aviation accidents in Colombia

Abstract

This paper shows how to implement the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in the scene of an aviation accident investigation to facilitate the collection of information. The RPAS technology has developed significantly in recent years, allowing researchers to implement them as support tools. Among the analyzed technology, lightweight multicopters with cameras adjusted to the needs of the process of analysis are highlighted. The implementation of national regulations and technology used are analyzed to carry out an investigation when an air accident occurs in countries like Colombia. Also, a comparison is made between the conventional procedure and the implementation of RPAS for the investigation of aerial accidents, taking into account technological capabilities. Getting some examples of images obtained by RPAS that would have been difficult to obtain by other means, such as the tops of broken trees and wreckage below a cliff in poor weather, high altitude, rain forest. Using RPAS to take aerial imagery is low cost and can be obtained quickly, within minutes after arriving at an accident site. The combination of RPAS imagery and software provides a very useful new tool together with accident site documentation and analysis, and at a much lower cost than hiring other technologies. This topic is developed by the Aeronautical Research Group (G.I.N.A) of the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority (UAEAC) in Bogota.