Ileron achieves non-geographic authorization and writes a new page in Italian unmanned aviation history
On July 25, 2017, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority ENAC granted Ileron non-geographic authorization to undertake critical specialized operations, under VLOS conditions, using RPA with MTOM less than 25 kg. Non-geographic authorizations or permits to fly are concessions not related to a specific area of operations but to its feature in terms, for example, of an anthropic load.
This “ad hoc” authorization in question calls for downstream evaluation of the required safety level on the basis of the sum of all contributions by RPA, flight staff, operational and flight management procedures, maintenance program as well as all other essential elements needed to establish that operations can be performed safely. An interesting aspect is use of UgCS software which allows adequate control of the flight profile, enabling positive keeping of the conditions assigned by the risk assessment.
To obtain non-geographic authorization, Ileron had to go through a very complex and structured procedure: three months of work, including tests and analyses, producing approximately 400 document pages in support of the request; the process was designed and carried out using only Ileron internal resources.
Ileron quantitative risk assessment methodology takes into account the overall reliability of the system by implicitly including all risk factors associated with design and operations. Adopting the necessary mitigations, it provides for the possibility of flying over populated areas; this, also thanks to the fact that – for the first time in the history of RPAs with MTOM less than 25 kg – Ileron managed to demonstrate to the Authority a failure rate/flight hour of the RPA <1.
With appropriate adjustments, Ileron methodology is also fully compliant with the Authority provisions concerning concessions for RPAs weighing less than 25 kg, operated under BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) conditions or with MTOM greater than or equal to 25 kg.
The risk model is applied in accordance with Ileron innovative procedure, approved by the Authority, which makes it possible to characterize the operating scenario with the utmost degree of ergonomics and immediacy.
For further information: info@ileron.com
