UAS Aviation Safety Rigour - A Comparative Analysis of Triton Vs Shadow-200.

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) such as the MQ-4C Triton and the RQ-7B Shadow-200 Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft System (TUAS) each utilise unique approaches to aviation safety. This presents new challenges to both regulators and operators. Whilst each UAS is unique and presents different safety challenges, the fundamentals of UAS safety do not vary simply as a function of the complexity or size of the UAS. This paper compares and considers the drivers for aviation safety effort and rigour between a large UAS like Triton versus smaller UAS such as Shadow-200. To that end, the safety case of both Shadow-200 and Triton will be examined. In doing so, it will be shown that the UAS platforms can have similar levels of aviation safety rigour applied to them. As it stands, Triton and Shadow-200 make use of different risk-based approaches. These approaches are explained and analysed with a view to highlight key differences and argue that despite the scale of each system, a common approach is not only possible, but necessary. This paper will leverage UNCLASSIFIED aviation safety material from the Shadow-200 and Triton programs as prime source material and provide broader insight into the activities that support UAS operations in the ADF. The paper will also consider the differences in the configuration, role and environment (CRE) for the platforms and will highlight the main differences and similarities that support the aviation safety activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]