AUGMENTED GNSS FOR PRECISION APPROACH OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE: RISKS AND SAFETY ANALYSIS

The paper firstly deals with the analysis of the state of the art of the avionic navigation systems (certified PBN/RNAV and/or RNP) focused on the new methodologies for precision approach with vertical guidance (APV). The idea at the base of the paper is to conceive the possibility to apply the RNP requirements where GNSS augmentations systems are considered for the automatic landing of an aircraft belonging to MALE UAS category. The paper includes a detailed analysis of the international normative listed through ICAO and FAA documents focused on the new “augmentation systems” (SBAS, GBAS, ABAS) and the applicable Technical Standard Operations (TSO). The second step of this work has been to suppose the integration of autonomous landing function based on GNSS into an UAS avionic architecture. A Risk and Safety analysis applied (i.e. FTA) to the designed avionic system has been performed, important redundancies have been considered in avionic design for ensuring safety during operations. A promising design alternative, is finally described and presented in the paper together with associated FTA analysis. The activities developed to achieve the results presented on this paper, were created within the frame of the SMAT F2 Programme financed by Regione Piemonte.