GVC Operational Risk Assessment (SORA) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is an 'Operational Safety Objective' (OSO) in the SORA framework?
- A financial target for the UAS operator
- A specific safety requirement that must be met based on the SAIL level (Correct answer)
- A recommendation with no regulatory force
- A maintenance schedule for the UAS
Correct answer: A specific safety requirement that must be met based on the SAIL level
Operational Safety Objectives are specific safety requirements assigned based on the SAIL level. Each OSO addresses a particular risk area (e.g., pilot competency, UAS design, maintenance) and must be met to the required level of robustness (low, medium, or high) depending on the SAIL.
Question 2: When conducting a SORA, what is the 'adjacent area' and why is it important?
- The area where the operator stores their equipment
- The area surrounding the operational volume where the UAS could end up in a loss-of-control scenario (Correct answer)
- The nearest airport to the operating location
- The pilot's visual observation area
Correct answer: The area surrounding the operational volume where the UAS could end up in a loss-of-control scenario
The adjacent area is the zone surrounding the operational volume and ground risk buffer where the UAS could potentially end up in an abnormal or emergency situation. Its characteristics (e.g., populated area, gathering of people) affect the ground risk assessment because it represents the area at risk if containment fails.
Question 3: How does SORA classify the air risk for a UAS operation?
- By the number of flights per week
- By the Air Risk Class (ARC), based on the likelihood of encountering manned aircraft (Correct answer)
- By the altitude above mean sea level only
- By the insurance coverage level of the operator
Correct answer: By the Air Risk Class (ARC), based on the likelihood of encountering manned aircraft
Air risk in SORA is classified using the Air Risk Class (ARC), which ranges from ARC-a (lowest) to ARC-d (highest). The ARC is determined by the airspace characteristics and the likelihood of encountering manned aircraft in the operational area.
Question 4: What is the 'ground risk buffer' in a SORA assessment?
- A physical barrier erected around the launch site
- An area surrounding the operational volume that accounts for where the UAS could crash if it leaves the operational volume (Correct answer)
- The minimum distance from the pilot to the drone
- A radio frequency buffer zone
Correct answer: An area surrounding the operational volume that accounts for where the UAS could crash if it leaves the operational volume
The ground risk buffer is the area on the ground surrounding the operational volume that accounts for the possible crash area if the UAS exits the operational volume. Its size depends on the UAS performance characteristics, and the population density within this buffer affects the ground risk classification.
Question 5: Which of the following would typically result in a HIGHER Ground Risk Class in a SORA?
- Operating over a sparsely populated rural area
- Operating over an assembly of people at an outdoor event (Correct answer)
- Using a UAS with a maximum dimension under 1 metre
- Flying at a height below 50 metres
Correct answer: Operating over an assembly of people at an outdoor event
Operating over an assembly of people significantly increases the ground risk because the potential consequences of a UAS failure are much greater when many people are concentrated in the area. This drives the iGRC to its highest levels in the SORA matrix.
Question 6: In SORA, what does 'strategic mitigation' for air risk involve?
- Painting the drone in high-visibility colours
- Measures applied at the planning stage to reduce the probability of encountering manned aircraft (Correct answer)
- Increasing the battery capacity of the UAS
- Filing a police report before each flight
Correct answer: Measures applied at the planning stage to reduce the probability of encountering manned aircraft
Strategic mitigations for air risk are measures implemented at the planning stage, such as restricting operations to airspace with low manned aircraft traffic, coordinating with air traffic services, or applying temporal restrictions. These reduce the probability of a mid-air encounter before the flight even begins.
GVC Operational Risk Assessment (SORA) 2
What is an 'Operational Safety Objective' (OSO) in the SORA framework?