NTSB Working to Streamline Drone Program
Safety agency does not have a centralized system for tracking its drones, which are used to capture video and photos of incidents.
An NTSB air safety investigator begins the initial examination of the wreckage of a Pilatus PC-12 that crashed in Chamberlain, South Dakota, on November 30, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. CT shortly after departure from Chamberlain Municipal Airport. [Credit: NTSB]
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is working to enhance its drone program by seeking a cloud-based software provider for fleet management, according to a recent federal contract posting.
The agency intends to use this software to more effectively track its increasing number of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), which are vital for investigating accidents. The NTSB does not have a centralized system for tracking its drones, which are used to capture video and photos of incidents and perform mapping and photogrammetry.
In its posting, the NTSB notes that, until recently, its UAS program has been operated on a small scale, with just five drones, four active crewmembers, and one program lead. Documentation of fleet assets and personnel was managed manually through basic spreadsheets and databases, a process the agency described as “archaic” and “inefficient,” making it difficult to maintain a robust safety management system.
The NTSB said it has recently launched its UAS Flight Operations program—expanding its aircraft fleet from five to 12 drones—and has increased personnel to a team of 15.
“Implementation of a solution for both aircraft and program management will serve to improve the effectiveness and integrity of NTSB investigations,” the agency said.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.
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