Considerations for Assuring Software Systems of Autonomous Aircraft

Abstract

Software safety of autonomous aircraft is yet to be incorporated in current civil aviation safety standards. Current standards and guidance attempt to address operations and general procedures; however, the discussion around the software component and level of autonomy and automation of these vehicles is relatively immature. A robust regulatory framework needs to be developed if these unmanned systems are to be safely integrated into the existing civil airspace. The existing aviation standards around autonomous aircraft, autonomy in aircraft hardware and rules of the air are explored, with an emphasis on the gaps in existing standards and regulations. A need for a clear distinction in the regulation of the software component and the aviation component is highlighted.