Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies technical requirements for UTM subjects, users and service providers (SPs) making reference as appropriate, to other standards developed by ISO/TC/20 SC/16.

It covers minimum safety, quality, security and privacy requirements for safety related UTM SPs. In addition, minimum safety, quality, security and privacy requirements for Command and Control (C2) Communication Service Providers (C2CSP) are given in this document.

Purpose

1. The proposed new standard aims at the creation of a foundation standard to provide the basis for certification of UTM and C2C SPs.

2. Standardisation is necessary because:

a) Some Aviation Authorities around the world (e.g. EASA, FAA, Qatar CAA) have established, or announced, rules for oversight of UTM and C2C SPs;

b) The C2CSP is identified in the draft of new Part IV of Annex 6 to the Chicago Convention (ICAO) and the proposed ISO standard may become an Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) with the ICAO provisions to facilitate oversight by the Authorities or by the UAS operator;

c) Annexes 3 (Meteorology) and 15 (Aeronautical Information) to said Convention already recognise ISO certification as an AMC with ICAO standards;

d) there is no ISO standard covering this topic at the moment;

e) neither other standard making bodies are working on the subject.

3. Affected interests include civil and state operators of unmanned aircraft which will use UTM and C2C services, support of aviation safety regulators and authorities and as well other entities (e.g. law enforcement agencies) which may use UTM services.

4. The new standard is relevant for the market since not only regulations are emerging for such providers, but several commercial companies are already offering UTM services on the global scale. The standard is therefore required now. The development of a standard will take about 36 months. By then ICAO standards for C2C SP will have been finalised and possibly UTM regulations will have been adopted in some States.

5. This standard will set out minimum safety and quality processes for the UTM and C2C SPs, applicable globally without exception, as it is of course necessary when the services are satellite based, or networks cover several States or commercial companies want to offer services anywhere in the world.

6. A sufficient number of active members are already available and ready to work on the standard, as verified during the Plenary meeting of TC/20 SC/16 in London in June 2019. Launching an NP would also attract additional experts from the involved industry to join.