Proposals for Enhancing Safety Management Measures for Mid-To-Large-Sized Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Purpose: This foundational research aims to improve safety management for mid-tolarge-sized Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by identifying perceived safety-impeding items and preventing human-factor accidents.Methods: Utilizing the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) 7.0 model, a two-round survey on mission risk factors was conducted among ROKAF RQ-4B high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle pilots.The questionnaire utilized a 4-point Likert scale.A mean score of 2.5 (the median) or higher was set as the threshold for safety hazards, while a score of 3.0 or higher classified an item as a relatively highlevel safety-impeding perception.Results: Safety-impeding perception items were analyzed across the HFACS 7.0 levels.The study identified 38 recognized hazard items in total: 6 under 'Unsafe acts,' 22 under 'Preconditions for unsafe acts,' 3 under 'Unsafe supervision,' and 7 under 'Organizational influences.' Conclusion: To prevent accidents, the identified items must be categorized into human, material, and environmental factors and managed via sector-specific guidelines.Properly adapting and enhancing these detailed guidelines-originally designed for manned aircraft pilots to elevate safety awareness, institutionalize procedural compliance, and hone flight skills-for UAS pilots is expected to be highly effective in reducing accidents caused by human factors.