Vulnerability of Manned Aircraft to Drone Strikes

The objectives

This project has three main objectives: 

  • to deepen the understanding — through experimental testing and simulation techniques — regarding the effects of a potential collision of drones in the consumer / prosumer market segment (‘threat’) with manned aircraft (‘target’); a synthesis report on these simulation and experimental activities and obtained results is planned 24 months after project start;
  • to identify drone design strategies aimed at containing the risk that drone-aircraft collision may induce on the aircraft and its occupants; and
  • to draft design requirements and test standards for future drones to be put on the market within the EU open category (CE marking) addressing the containment of the above risk

The main tasks and deliverables

The project is structured in the following manner:

  • Task 1 — Review of the State of the Art and Establishment of the Baseline for the Work; International Cooperation
  • Task 2 — Establishment of the ‘Collision Envelope’
  • Task 3 — Development and Validation of Modelling Approaches
  • Task 4 — Development and Validation of Models for ‘Threats’ and ‘Local Targets’
  • Task 5 — Development and Validation of a Simulation Set for Collision Events and Impact Damage Prediction; Synthesis Report on the Vulnerability of Manned Aircraft
  • Task 6 — Design and Development of a PC-based Tool for the Mapping and Post-Processing of Collision Damage Data   
  • Task 7 — Survey of Current UA Design Practices and Identification of Design Improvements with Low Damage-inflicting Potential in case of Collision
  • Task 8 — Recommendations for drone design and test standards
  • Task 9 — Supporting Activities — Stakeholder Involvement