Review of U.S. Army Unmanned Aerial Systems Accident Reports: Analysis of Human Error Contributions

Abstract

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) accident reports occurring between 1 October 2010 (FY11) and 30 September 2015 (FY15) were reviewed for human-error trends. The following common themes were identified within the report narratives: poor planning, fueling errors, and maintenance errors. Personnel data, including hours slept, hours worked, and hours flown prior to the accident, were also reviewed to evaluate if fatigue due to sleep or long shifts may have played a causal role. However, none were identified as significantly contributing to the possible cause of the accident. The role of human error in UAS mishaps is discussed and recommendations have been put forth to assist in future identification of causes of mishaps.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 20, 2018
Accession Number
AD1052734

Entities

People

  • Amanda M. Kelley
  • Ian Curry
  • Kathryn A. Feltman

Organizations

  • United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Combat Readiness
  • Commerce
  • Health
  • Information Systems
  • Situational Awareness
  • Therapy
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Vehicles

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - Human-Robot Interaction