Generating Certification Evidence for Autonomous Aerial Vehicles Decision-Making

Abstract

The last 15 years have seen a large uptick in the use of unmanned aircraft. However, the current safety of flight clearances for unmanned aircraft requires a qualified operator who can make decisions and ultimately bear the responsibly for the safe operations of the vehicle. The future of aviation is unmanned, and ultimately autonomous. Yet, a clear path for certifying an autonomous vehicle to make decisions currently reserved for qualified pilots does not exist. This paper presents a preliminary approach for certifying an autonomous controller to select an appropriate landing site for a large rotorcraft in an unprepared landing zone. In particular, this paper will decompose the steps currently used by qualified pilots to the basic requirements to define an envelope where the vehicle will be allowed to operate autonomously while landing. These requirements are the basis for a specification that we examine to ensure it met the requirements. A protocol is developed based on the analyzed specification that will ensure what the vehicle “will not do” while operating autonomously. Finally, we describe how this protocol can be used as the safety of flight evidence, and eventually for clearing an autonomous controller to complete a task reserved for qualified pilots.