OSO 8 – Operational procedures are defined, validated and adhered to

AMC1 Article 11 Annex E. Operational Safety Objective 8

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 46

OSO 8 – Operational procedures are defined, validated and adhered to

Level of integrity

Criterion	Low (SAIL 1)	Medium (SAIL 2)	High (SAIL 3 to 6)
Criterion 1 (Procedures)	OSO8.C1.L.I	OSO8.C1.L.I	OSO8.C1.L.I
Criterion 2 (Human Error)	OSO8.C2.L.I	OSO8.C2.M.I	OSO8.C2.M.I OSO8.C3.H.I
Criterion 3 (Emergency Response Plan)	OSO8.C3.L.I	OSO8.C3.L.I	OSO8.C3.L.I

Level of assurance

Criterion	Low (SAIL 1)	Medium (SAIL 2)	High (SAIL 3 to 6)
Criterion 1 (Procedures)	OSO8.L.A	OSO8.M.A	OSO8.M.A OSO8.H.A
Criterion 2 (Human Error)	OSO8.L.A	OSO8.M.A	OSO8.M.A OSO8.H.A
Criterion 3 (Emergency Response Plan)	OSO8.L.A	OSO8.M.A	OSO8.M.A OSO8.H.A
FTB	OSO8.FT.L.A	OSO8.FT.L.A	OSO8.FT.L.A

Low level of robustness (SAIL I)

OSO8.C1.L.I

Criterion 1 – Procedures

Operational procedures appropriate for the proposed operation must be defined and must cover the following elements:

(a) Flight planning (to include multiple locations, if applicable).

(b) Pre and post-flight inspections.

(c) Procedures to evaluate environmental conditions before and during the mission (i.e. real-time evaluation) including assessment of meteorological conditions (METAR, TAF, etc.) with a simple recording system.

(d) Procedures to cope with unintended adverse environmental conditions (e.g. when ice is encountered during an operation not approved for icing conditions).

(e) Normal procedures.

(f) Contingency procedures (to cope with abnormal situations).

(g) Emergency procedures (to cope with emergency situations).

(h) Pre-flight procedures including briefing of any involved persons about the potential risks and actions to take in case of misbehaviour of the UA.

(i) Occurrence reporting procedures.

(j) Any relevant change management/modification procedures. Further information on change management within the context of a UK SORA based authorisation, can be found in CAP 722L.

If available, operational procedures provided by the UAS designer should be utilised.

OSO8.C2.L.I

Criterion 2 – Human Error

The operational procedures must provide:

(a) A clear distribution and assignment of tasks.

(b) A checklist to ensure staff are adequately performing assigned tasks.

OSO8.C3.L.I

Criterion 3 – Emergency Response Plan

The (ERP) must:

(a) Be suitable for the situations.

(b) Effectively mitigate all anticipated hazardous secondary effects after the initial crash.

(c) Clearly delineate Remote Crew member(s) duties during an emergency.

(d) Be easily accessible and practical to use.

(e) Contain a list of anticipated emergency situations with secondary effects.

(f) Contain procedures for each of the identified anticipated emergency (including criteria to identify each of these situations).

(g) List the relevant contacts (e.g. Air Traffic Control, police, fire brigade, first responders).

In addition, the Remote Crew must have received training and may execute the procedures effectively under stress.

OSO8.L.A

Criterion 1, 2, and 3

The Applicant must declare and provide evidence of compliance with the Integrity requirements. The detailed evidence of compliance may be assessed by the CAA.

OSO8.FT.L.A

Criterion 1, 2, and 3 using FTB method

FUNCTIONAL TEST-BASED METHODS (for SAILs up to IV included)

The applicant has evidence of FTB flight hours proportionate to the risk/SAIL of the operation meeting one of the set of conditions described in GM1 Article 11 Annex E. Functional test based (FTB) methodology which have been executed:

(a) Within the full operational scope/envelope intended by the UAS Operator, and

(b) Following the operational procedures referred to in the operational authorization, then the assurance that the operational procedures are adequate is met at the level corresponding to the SAIL being demonstrated by the functional test-based approach.

Medium level of robustness (SAIL 2)

Lower robustness level requirements to be complied with:

• OSO8.C1.L.I

• OSO8.C3.L.I

Additional requirements to be compiled with:

OSO8.C2.M.I

Criterion 2 – Human Error

The operational procedures must take human error into consideration.

OSO8.M.A

Criterion 1, 2, and 3.

(a) Operational procedures and ERP must be developed to standards considered adequate by the CAA and/or in accordance with a means of compliance acceptable to the CAA.

(b) Adequacy of the Contingency and Emergency procedures must be proven through:

(1) Dedicated flight tests.

(2) Simulation provided the simulation is proven valid for the intended purpose with positive results.

(c) The Applicant must provide evidence of compliance with the Integrity requirements.

OSO8.FT.M.A

No additional requirements.

High level of robustness (SAIL 3 to 6)

Lower robustness level requirements to be complied with:

• OSO8.C1.L.I

• OSO8.C3.L.I

• OSO8.C2.M.I

• OSO8.M.A

Additional requirements to be compiled with:

OSO8.C2.H.I

Criterion 2 – Human Error

Same as Medium. In addition, the Remote Crew must receive Crew Resource Management (CRM) training.

OSO8.H.A

Same as Medium. In addition:

(a) Flight tests performed to validate the procedures and checklists must cover the complete flight envelope or must be proven to be conservative.

(b) The Applicant must provide evidence of compliance with the Integrity requirements, which will be assessed by the CAA. The CAA will validate continuing compliance through oversight.

OSO8.FT.H.A

No addition requirements.

 

GM1 Article 11 Annex E. Operational Safety Objective 8

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 46

GM.OSO8

(a) Operational procedures address normal, abnormal, and emergency situations potentially resulting from technical issues with the UAS or external systems supporting UAS operation, human errors or critical environmental conditions.

(b) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are a set of instructions covering policies, procedures, and responsibilities set out by the applicant that supports operational personnel in ground and flight operations of the UA safely and consistently during normal situations.

(c) Contingency Procedures are designed to potentially prevent a significant future event (e.g. loss of control of the operation) that has an increased likelihood to occur due to the current abnormal state of the operation. These procedures should return the operation to a normal state and enable the return to using standard operating procedures or allow the safe cessation of the flight.

(d) Emergency Procedures are intended to mitigate the effect of failures that cause or lead to an emergency condition.

(e) The Emergency Response Plan (ERP) deals with the potential hazardous secondary or escalating effects after a loss of control of the operation (e.g., in the case of ground impact, mid-air collision or flyaway) and is decoupled from the Emergency Procedures, as it does not deal with the control of the UA.

GM.OSO8.C1.L.I

(a) A feasibility study shall initially be conducted as part of the flight planning to identify potential hazards. The feasibility study should comprise of the following:

(1) Identification of the Area of Operation (AOO), Take-Off and Landing Area (TOLA), holding/loiter areas and emergency landing areas

(2) Identification of the landowner for Take-Off and Landing (TOAL) and any permissions required

(3) Identification of the airspace, the likely amount of air traffic and any permissions required

(4) Identification of public access points

(5) On site hazards

(6) Offsite hazards

(7) Assessment of the proposed operational volume, to ensure the conditions of the SORA and the OA are met.

(8) Identification, and implementation of any procedures needed in relation to ANSP communication. Further information on these requirements can be found in AMC and GM to UAS.SPEC.040(1)(b).

(b) The UAS system shall be assembled and checked it is safe to be flown by the remote pilot. Materials to assist with this include the following:

(1) Manufacturer’s guidance

(2) The user manuals for the UAS, payload and ancillary equipment

(3) In-house procedures and checklists

(c) The following weather conditions shall be checked before flight and monitored throughout the flight:

(1) Wind strength at the operating height

(2) Wind direction

(3) Urban effects (wind shear, vortices, and turbulence)

(4) Precipitation

(5) Visibility

(d) Reserved

(e) Reserved

(f) Reserved

(g) Reserved

(h) The emergency procedures should as a minimum include the following (where applicable):

(1) Abnormal environmental conditions - Visibility

(2) Abnormal environmental conditions - Wind

(3) Air incursion

(4) Air excursion

(5) Control signal loss

(6) Fire

(7) LOC

(8) GNSS signal loss

(9) Ground incursion

(10) Landing gear failure - Fixed wing

(11) Landing gear failure - Multirotor

(12) Loss of control

(13) Power loss - CU

(14) Power loss (partial)

(15) Power loss (full)

(16) Propulsion system loss (full or partial) - Fixed wing

(17) Propulsion system loss (full) - Multirotor

(18) Propulsion system loss (single motor)

(19) Propulsion system loss (multiple motors)

(20) Navigation light failure at night

(21) Pilot incapacitation

(22) Structural failure

(i) The following occurrences shall be reported:

(1) Technical failure:

(i) Technical failure during transfer to/from launch control/mission control stations

(ii) Functional failures

(iii) Loss of C2 Link

(iv) Loss of navigation function CU configuration changes/errors

(v) Loss of communication between remote pilot stations

(vi) Display failures

(vii) Structural failures that resulted in control difficulties or loss of the aircraft

(viii) Airspace infringement

(ix) Any technical failure that resulted in injury to a third party

(2) Human factors

(i) Human error during transfer to/from launch control/mission control stations

(ii) Functional failures of the UAS which led to loss of situational awareness

(iii) Mishandling by the pilot in command including mis-selection of flight parameters via the CU

(iv) Crew resource management failures / confusion

(v) Human errors

(vi) Pilot incapacitation

(vii) Any human error that resulted in injury to a third party

A full list of reportable occurrences can be found in UK Reg (EU) No 2015/1018 (the UK MOR Occurrences Regulation).

(3) Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme (MORS).

All occurrences shall be reported as an MOR within 72 hours in accordance with UK Reg (EU) No 376/2014 (the UK Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Regulation).

MORs are submitted online via ECCAIRS2 web portal: https://aviationreporting.eu/

Any serious accident or incident must also be reported to the Air Accident Investigation Branch:

Air Accidents Investigation Branch

Farnborough House

Berkshire Copse Road

Aldershot HANTS

GU11 2HH

24 hour accident/incident reporting line: +44 (0) 1252 512299

Administration and general enquiries Tel: +44 (0) 1252 510300

Fax: +44 (0) 1252 376999

E-mail: enquiries@aaib.gov.uk

(4) Occurrence investigation.

In the event of an occurrence the UAS operator shall be informed immediately. A full investigation shall be conducted to find out what occurred and why. To aid the investigation, evidence shall be gathered in the form of:

(i) Photographs

(ii) Witness statements

(iii) Digital flight logs

(iv) Onsite paperwork, including the risk assessment

(v) Weather conditions at the time

(5) Occurrence outcome actions

(i) All flight crew will be debriefed about the occurrence to ascertain how and why it happened. The results of the investigation will form the basis of new procedures to prevent the same occurrence happening again. All flight crew will be informed of the investigation outcome and trained in any new procedures.

(j) An operator may wish to make changes to their operation during the course of an OA. These changes may be operational, or technical in nature. Some of these changes may be possible without requiring a new SORA. A change management/modification procedure should be set out to capture how these changes are assessed and logged. Further guidance can be found in CAP 722L.

GM.OSO8.C3.L.I

The Emergency Response Plan (ERP) should be used after an occurrence. The priorities are:

1. Protect uninvolved people

2. Protect property

3. Gather evidence

4. Submit an occurrence report

5. Conduct an investigation

6. Deliver outcome actions to prevent a repeat occurrence