A new standardized practice published by ASTM International will help evaluate drones for risks, potentially leading to greater acceptance of drone usage among civil aviation authorities. The new standard (soon to be published as F3178, Practice for Operational Risk Assessment (ORA)) defines how to prepare Operational Risk Assessments that are necessary for approvals related to airworthiness, design, and operations.

“The world approaches drone operations from a risk-based method,” said ASTM International member Harrison Wolf, president of Wolf UAS.  “This new standard allows people to understand and apply the best practices for identifying hazards, quantifying risk, and mitigating that risk.”

Wolf noted that the new standard can help evaluate drones of any size and will be most useful to drone operators who want to use regulated airspace. Specifically, he said, the standard will be used by applicants who are seeking waivers or approvals for higher risk environments than those allowed by current regulations.

The standard is being developed by ASTM International Committee on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (F38). For more information about ASTM International’s growing portfolio of standards development work with drones, click here.

To purchase standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (tel +1.877.909.ASTM; sales@astm.org). ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member at www.astm.org/JOIN.

Media Inquiries: Dan Bergels, tel +1.610.832.9602; dbergels@astm.org
Technical Contact: Harrison Wolf, Wolf UAS, Los Altos, Calif., tel +1.805.302.8480; hw@wolfuas.com
ASTM Staff Contact: Mary Mikolajewski, tel +1.610.832.9678; mmikolajewski@astm.org

Release #10224