CAA publishes safety risks associated with integrating eVTOLs into UK airpspace
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published safety analysis research to support the future integration of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into UK airspace.
Working with Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the University of Warwick’s centre for research, education and knowledge transfer in engineering, manufacturing and technology, the new research takes a systems approach to identifying risks that may arise from the future integration of eVTOLs into an already complex airspace system and highlights key areas for regulatory advancement, including airspace integration, vertiport operations, and automation.
The 18-month study, funded by the Department for Transport, forms part of the regulator’s Future of Flight programme. It identifies potential hazards and safety gaps associated with eVTOL operations, analysing interactions between aircraft, software, hardware, and humans.
Rick Newson, Co-Chair of the eVTOL Safety Leadership Group, at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said, “With eVTOL aircraft expected to enter UK airspace within the next few years, proactive planning and coordination is essential to ensure their safe, responsible and seamless integration.
“This research provides valuable insights into the complex challenges and potential risks ahead. The results will feed into our ongoing regulatory development to enable innovation while maintaining the highest safety standards.”
It was delivered in close collaboration with industry, including the cluster of helicopter and potential eVTOL operations at Silverstone race track. Using workshops and technical meetings, a wide range of stakeholders, such as helicopter operator Bristow and NATS, the UK CAA owned provider of air traffic control services in the UK, contributed operational expertise that shaped the safety analysis and ensured the findings reflect relevant real-world challenges.
Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, University of Warwick, said, “For any technology, ensuring its safety is an absolute requirement for it to succeed commercially. And for emerging technologies like eVTOLs, a systems thinking approach to safety is necessary to understand the multiple interactions between the stakeholders.
The study identifies over 50 high-priority areas, many of which are applicable to both eVTOL and helicopter operations. Some of the key outputs of the report include:
Airspace integration challenges: Air Navigation Service Providers should implement mechanisms to detect and alert controllers/service providers to deviations in aircraft performance (e.g., altitude, speed, trajectory) from expected parameters.
Vertiport operational standards: The criticality of energy management requires Ground Services to use advanced real-time sensors to ensure provision of continuous feedback on landing conditions.
Automation and simulation oversight: There are currently no mandated protocols for using automation and simulation tools to detect performance deviations or predict flight path conflicts.
Simon Meakins, Co-Chair of the eVTOL Safety Leadership Group and Director of Advanced Air Mobility at Bristow Group, said, “This is an extremely valuable piece of work which proactively identifies potential risks and enables them to be mitigated effectively. With the emergence of new technologies it is essential to pragmatically manage safety from the start, and this project is an important part of that process.
These findings are now being considered by the UK Civil Aviation Authority as part of its ongoing regulatory development work. Findings will also feed into the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to allow for new airspace users as new technology takes flight.