For many years, remote controlled aircraft, also called UAV, gained in popularity. The almost limitless application possibility in various fields is the main source of its success. Many people see in this a great opportunity, they dive head-first and start a commercial UAV service.
However, like cars, UAVs are not all the same when it comes to performance and reliability. Some so called professional UAV are nothing else then expensive toys. More and more manufacturers try to pitch in and make a dollar with the new passion for UAV by flooding the market with tons of products. The most popular one being the Chinese manufacturer DJI. With anticipated sell of over 1 billion dollars in 20151, this company creates one after the other, a more and more performing model . The latest one being the DJI Phantom 3 Professional. Despite what the manufacturers advertise, are these UAVs really fit for the commercial world?
First of all, let’s take a look at the current situation. It is important to know that, at this moment, Transport Canada is regulating the commercial application of UAVs but not the leisure one. According to Transport Canada, these UAVs are viewed the same way as any other aircraft and must respect the Canadian Aviation Regulation (CAR). The main purpose of this regulation is to ensure a safe environment for the public and every user of the Canadian airspace.
According to CAR 603.65 and 603.66, it is illegal to operate a UAV unless a Special Flight Operation Certificate (SFOC) is received from Transport Canada. However, there are currently some exemptions²³ that do not require a SFOC, but these are only there pending the new regulations from Transport Canada.
In order to obtain an SFOC, which is essential if you need to operate near built-up areas, the operator must prove to Transport Canada’s inspectors that the operations will be safe and that any risk will be properly handled.
First, the inexpensive general public UAVs, because 1000$ is really cheap in the aeronautical field, are not equipped with redundant systems. This means that if a component fails during the flight, the function will not be available for the rest of the flight. If the part is essential to the flight of this aircraft, a crash is inevitable. These unique failures points increase the risk linked to operations and need to be really considered before being allowed to fly over a crowd.
Second, the lack of a clear maintenance schedule by the manufacturer make the task of establishing airworthiness much harder for the pilot. In other words, there is no or not enough procedure to be sure of the aircraft state; which means there is no certain way of knowing if the UAV is safe and airworthy. In any case, the users should create their own maintenance schedule in order to satisfy the requirement from Transport Canada.
Third, there is no data at the moment proving the reliability of the components. If we take the example of computer hard drive, some are commercial grade and some are basic user grade. The difference between the commercial and regular one is that the former is usually built with better material and a stricter quality control which drastically increase the life span of the component. Same concept applies to the automobile and aircraft industry. In short, as long as it is not possible to know the reliability of the part, the risk of UAVs components failure can’t be assessed.
Fourth, in order for a company based on UAV exploitation to be functional, it needs, in case of a failure, to be able to fix the UAV quickly. Waiting between 4 and 6 weeks before receiving a part or a tool necessary for a repair can cost a fortune to an enterprise. Also, some manufacturers do not offer a warranty on every component4 . In general, company that produce commercial grade UAV usually propose a solution in case of a failure and might even loan a UAV while yours is in repair.
In conclusion, the goal of the article is not to destroy the market for leisure UAV since this one has a brilliant future. It is simply a reminder that some of the models have characteristics that limits them for the more advanced operations. Also, with regulation increasing, manufacturer will probably have to increase their own standard in order to be compliant with regulation. Like an amateur photograph can take beautiful picture with a basic camera, it is possible to use small UAVs to do commercial work but in a near future it will be almost impossible to do so.
2 http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regServ/affairs/exemptions/docs/en/2879.htm
3 http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regServ/affairs/exemptions/docs/en/2879.htm