GVC Operational Risk Assessment (SORA) — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does SORA stand for in the context of UAS risk assessment?
- Systematic Operational Risk Audit
- Specific Operations Risk Assessment (Correct answer)
- Standard Operational Review Analysis
- Safety of Remote Aviation
Correct answer: Specific Operations Risk Assessment
SORA stands for Specific Operations Risk Assessment. It is the methodology developed by JARUS and adopted by the UK CAA for assessing the risk of UAS operations in the Specific category.
Question 2: What are the two main risk categories assessed in a SORA?
- Financial risk and reputational risk
- Ground risk and air risk (Correct answer)
- Weather risk and equipment risk
- Pilot risk and regulatory risk
Correct answer: Ground risk and air risk
SORA assesses two fundamental risk categories: ground risk (the risk of the UAS causing harm to people or property on the ground) and air risk (the risk of a mid-air collision with manned aircraft). Each is evaluated separately to determine the overall risk level.
Question 3: In SORA, what is the purpose of determining the 'intrinsic Ground Risk Class' (iGRC)?
- To classify the drone's maximum speed
- To establish the baseline ground risk before mitigations are applied (Correct answer)
- To determine the insurance premium required
- To calculate the maximum flight duration
Correct answer: To establish the baseline ground risk before mitigations are applied
The intrinsic Ground Risk Class (iGRC) establishes the initial, unmitigated risk level of the operation to people on the ground. It is determined by the UAS characteristics (size, kinetic energy) and the operational environment (population density). Mitigations can then be applied to reduce this to a final GRC.
Question 4: Which factor does NOT directly influence the Ground Risk Class in a SORA assessment?
- The maximum characteristic dimension of the UAS
- The population density of the overflown area
- The colour scheme of the UAS (Correct answer)
- The maximum UAS kinetic energy
Correct answer: The colour scheme of the UAS
The colour scheme of the UAS has no bearing on the Ground Risk Class. The GRC is determined by factors relating to the potential harm the UAS could cause (dimension, kinetic energy) and the exposure of people on the ground (population density of the operating area).
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'Containment' mitigation in SORA?
- To keep the UAS within a defined volume of airspace and ground area (Correct answer)
- To contain hazardous materials carried by the UAS
- To restrict the pilot to a specific control room
- To limit the number of flights per day
Correct answer: To keep the UAS within a defined volume of airspace and ground area
Containment in SORA refers to technical and procedural measures that ensure the UAS remains within a defined operational volume and ground risk buffer. Effective containment reduces both ground and air risk by preventing the UAS from leaving its intended area of operation.
Question 6: In SORA, what does SAIL stand for and what does it represent?
- Safety Assurance Integrity Level — the overall risk level determining required mitigations (Correct answer)
- Standard Aviation Inspection Limit — a maintenance threshold
- Specific Air Integration Level — the airspace access tier
- Systematic Analysis of Incident Likelihood — a reporting metric
Correct answer: Safety Assurance Integrity Level — the overall risk level determining required mitigations
SAIL stands for Specific Assurance and Integrity Level. It represents the overall risk level of the operation and determines what Operational Safety Objectives (OSOs) the operator must meet. SAIL values range from I (lowest) to VI (highest), with higher SAILs requiring more robust mitigations.
GVC Operational Risk Assessment (SORA)
What does SORA stand for in the context of UAS risk assessment?