Pilor error blamed for Canadian Forces ending UAV's operations after three missions
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Altair unmanned air vehicle leased by the Canadian military experienced in-flight altitude deviations of up to 1,200ft (365m) while it was being operated in major North Atlantic air traffic corridors as part of its Atlantic Littoral Intelligence and Surveillance Experiment (ALIX) in August.
NavCanada says the deviations directly contributed to a decision by the Canadian Forces to end flight operations after three missions, but air traffic co-ordination arrangements ensured two deviations did not result in a hazardous situation developing. In fu
The Altair first experienced altitude deviations of 300ft while flying in non-segregated airspace on 22 August above Labrador on its first ALIX mission to Baffin Island.
Jeff Cochrane, manager air navigation systems planning at NavCanada, told the Aviation Alberta unmanned vehicle systems conference in October: "There were some overshoots and undershoots of altitude capture on the flight. Deviations of roughly 300ft are still being looked at. If you are looking at comparing the operations to that of a Class 1-rated instrumented pilot, that is going to be outside their requirement for plus or minus 100ft."
A 1,200ft deviation, recorded on the second ALIX mission, was caused by "finger trouble….with flight management systems and crew co-ordination", says Cochrane.
The Altair was operated by General Atomics personnel during all three ALIX missions. The company says the deviations were the result of pilot error, and the system performed flawlessly during all three flights. These included a new endurance record for the platform and the first medium-altitude long-endurance UAV flight under beyond-line-of-sight control above 66¡ latitude north.
Cochrane says the problems highlight the requirement for a total system approach to UAV certification for operations in non-segregated airspace: "If we are going to treat UAVs in our airspace like any other aircraft, then it has to be counted on to respond that way," he adds.
PETER LA FRANCHI / MEDICINE HAT
Source: Flight International
