Formulation of safety management requirements for the expansion of Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation

Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., PwC Consulting LLC

Entrustment

1 Domestic surveys

To develop requirement drafts for Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation, a domestic survey is conducted to understand the current situation. AI-based third-party detection and case studies or plans of multi-drone operations are investigated, and information that contributes to framework design is collected.

2 Overseas surveys

To examine draft requirements for Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation, FAA and EASA frameworks and overseas case studies are investigated. Application cases based on quantitative risk assessment are also studied to inform Japan’s framework design.

3 Systematization of risk assessment methods

To address risks unique to Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation, scientifically grounded methods such as the Hierarchical Holographic Modeling (HHM) method are utilized to systematically organize risk assessment. The results of risk assessments planned under R&D item 1 (4) will be considered and are reflected in the draft requirements as widely applicable methodologies.

4 Stakeholder coordination

To propose draft requirements useful for framework design, regular information sharing with relevant organizations is conducted, and survey results and outcomes of R&D item 1 (4) are shared and discussed to organize issues and requirements for systematization.

5 Collaboration with operators in R&D item 1 (4)

Draft requirements and domestic and overseas survey results related to Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation are shared with operators involved in R&D item 1 (4), and operator perspectives, operational insights, and opinions on quantitative risk assessment are obtained, and the study sessions are conducted to reflect the framework design and the examination of draft requirements.

6 Proposal and formulation of requirements

Draft requirements related to Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation, formulated through activities 1 to 5 above, are proposed to study groups and other bodies aiming to promote the wider adoption of Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation, with the goal of having them established as safety management requirements.

7 Examination of quantitative risk assessment

Based on the data obtained through collaboration with operators involved in R&D item 1 (4), the current operations will be evaluated to determine whether the safety objectives of the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) v2.5 can be achieved, and consideration will be given to the data that will be required in the future.

8 Outreach activities

The initiatives of this project and international framework/standardization trends are disseminated, while the contents and background of contributed guidelines are clearly explained, and information on crew resource management (CRM) is also shared based on actual Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation cases from R&D item 1 (4) operators.

Final Goal (FY2026)

Formulation and proposal of requirement drafts A and B

• Requirement draft A: Aircraft (system) and operational requirement draft for Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation in Level 3 or 3.5 flights, where continuous visual monitoring by humans is partially replaced by system-based monitoring.
• Requirement draft B: Aircraft (system) and operational requirement draft for enabling Simultaneous Multi-UAS Operation in Level 4 flights.