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UK Coast Guard Studying UAV Options

The UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) has begun studies into introducing an unmanned aircraft to assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations by the end of 2019.

The MCA is one of several government agencies and private businesses to be selected as a Pathfinder programme to prove the viability of unmanned aircraft operations in daily life.

The British government has begun several initiatives—including a public consultation at the end of last year—to explore the regulatory regime required to make use of remotely piloted and autonomous air vehicles more widely accepted.

The MCA wants any future systems to be able to perform maritime observation and assist in SAR missions, performing not only wide area search, but also simply being able to look over a cliff where it is risky for a human rescuer to go. The systems would also monitor pollution, ship exhaust emissions and flooding, as well as perform some maritime security missions.

“It is unlikely a single solution will fit all aspects we are looking at,” said Phil Hanson, the MCA’s aviation technical assurance manager. He spoke at a Royal Aeronautical Society conference on maritime unmanned vehicles operations here this month.

“This is all about getting the right data to the right people at the time,” he said.

Studies are already underway, and Hanson says he is open to industry ideas. A series of demonstration flight trials are planned later this year, and the program will be open to tender around the same time. The MCA would like the capability in service by the end of 2019, and it would like to be able to operate beyond visual line of sight by 2020.

“We want the operation of this to be routine. No need to go and ask for special permissions, just go and perform the mission,” Hanson said.

The MCA is timing the tenders with the renewal of some of its helicopter contracts. The MCA currently has contracts with Bristow to provide and operate the Sikorsky S-92s, Leonardo AW139s and AW189s that provide SAR from 10 bases around the country. Hanson said he would like to include an unmanned aircraft capability that if proved viable could be mixed in with any future contract.

The British government is eager to introduce such technologies in a bid to accelerate UAV use in the UK.

The first of a series of so-called Pathfinder projects, in partnership with the Department for Transport, is being run by internet retailer Amazon from a facility near Cambridge and has already notched its first test delivery. The company is set to broaden the trial’s scope in the coming months by delivering to more homes in areas near its test site using its Prime Air UAV concept.

The government is also studying considerations for the mandatory registration of new unmanned aircraft systems such as in the U.S.; tougher penalties for illegal flying in no-fly zones such as near airports, prisons or nuclear installations; and the most challenging, making UAVs “electronically identifiable” so that an owner’s details can be passed on to law enforcement agencies if the owner is caught breaking the law.

The consultation will also consider whether a new law of criminal misuse of UAVs should be introduced.

Source: Aviation Week