SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

Abstract

The key factor that influences air traffic is safety. The article deals with safety of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), with UAV forced landings and safety equipment and also systems that have been developed in connection with normal but also emergency situations including sense and avoid systems, parachutes, airbags, nets and flight termination systems. Nowadays the most discussed safety issue is the UAV sense and avoid system designed to detect and avoid other traffic and obstacles during the flight. The UAV parachute landing systems are used to soften and cushion impact with the ground and can be also fitted with airbag recovery systems. Nets can serve as a protection from people injuries and property damage during trainings or performances. This kind of nets was installed also in the Hall for UAV testing at our Department of Aviation Technical Studies (DATS). In some specific situations also flight termination systems are used to destroy the UAV using a self destruct mechanism. For the overall overview of safety equipment emergency locator transmitters and data loggers are mentioned and contribution of the DATS to the UAV safety is introduced.