Altitude Angel is the world’s leading unmanned traffic management (UTM) provider and has taken steps to improve safety in the skies for all users by introducing a ‘just culture’ reporting system for drone operators and pilots.
With the aim of catching up to the reporting standards already in place for the manned aviation industry, which is based on the principle of just culture. This is not a no-blame scenario but it does recognise that only a tiny proportion of unsafe human actions are deliberate. The reporting culture is based on atmosphere of trust where users are encouraged to report safety related information but remaining within a clearly defined set of boundaries that define acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour. This recognises the need to learn from accidents and incidents to avoid them being repeated and also to investigate minor occurrences in order that they don’t escalate to major accidents.
Currently, drone pilots are directed to the CAA website to report any incidents although this system deals with incidents that occur with manned aircraft and the reporting process is very technical and designed to be completed by experienced aviators. The thinking behind the new system is that drone pilots may look at the current process and feel that a minor incident is not worth reporting, but there is value in learning from even minor occurrences so that larger accidents can be prevented in the future.
The new reporting system will allow users to log their incidences anonymously by completing a short questionnaire. The results from this will be collated by Altitude Angels with the findings being made available to the industry as a whole so that lessons can be learned where necessary. Where incidences are thought to be suitably serious, the pilot / operator making the report will be redirected to the CAA system to log the occurrence.
