Evaluating Ground Risk for Road Networks Induced by UAV Operations

Abstract

This paper presents a new method to evaluate the risk for road networks induced by UAV operations. The hazardous event considered for risk assessment is an accident with damages caused by an UAV falling on a road. Computation models are proposed to evaluate the probability of each event the sequence of which would lead to such an accident. Influences of the type of road as well as the road traffic are taken into account in the models. Simulation results are presented to illustrate risk evaluation by the proposed approach through a case study of a road network of several kilometres. Some metrics are also introduced to analyse the risk in a comprehensive way.

Feasibility Analysis of UAV Operations for Monitoring of Infrastructure Networks: a Risk-based Approach

“…In addition to ground risk for people, future work will also consider in the analysis the risk induced for user of road networks (using models proposed by the authors in [6]). Due to their proximity to railways, this is indeed of a particular interest in the feasibility analysis of railway networks but this will also enable to directly apply the proposed method to monitoring missions of road networks by UAVs.…”

“…Risk assessment methods have also been proposed in the literature to quantify the risk related to the mission. More specifically, a particular attention has been payed to risks due to UAV operations for people at ground [4] [5] or, more recently by the authors, for users of road networks [6]. Evaluations have been performed for case studies representative of the inspection of one rail line [7] or one power line [8] by small fixed-wing UAVs.…”

DROSERA: A DROne Simulation Environment for Risk Assessment

“…induced by a traffic accident if the UAV crashes on a road. Although the first type of "direct" damages has been considered in the literature, the second one regarding traffic accidents has been specifically modelled by the authors in Bertrand et al (2018) and is implemented in the DROSERA tool as well.…”

“…Dalamagkidis et al (2008); Rattanagraikanakorn et al (2020)) of an accident caused by the collision between an UAV falling at ground and a person. More recently, the authors have developed and proposed some specific models to evaluate the risk of causing an accident on road networks (or more generally on ground transportation networks) due to the fall of an UAV (Bertrand et al (2018)). All these models can be used for computation of risk indicators (namely probabilities) associated with any flight, involving the presence of people and other human activities in the surrounding area that might be impacted.…”

Efficient Generation of Ground Impact Probability Maps by Neural Networks for Risk Analysis of UAV Missions

“…Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for outdoor inspection or monitoring missions has been the topic of particular attention in recent years by operators and regulatory authorities. Assessing the feasibility of such operations strongly relies on risk analysis in order to know and control the safety level in relation to infrastructures [1], critical structures, people at ground [2] [3] or road networks [4]. Mandatory to obtain flight authorizations from legal entities, risk analysis can also help in the design and preparation of the missions in order to fulfill safety constraints while optimizing their operational performances.…”