Research on the Grading of the Distributed Operation Level for Civil Unmanned Aerial Systems

With the rapid development of civil unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), their operating scenarios are becoming more and more complex. The operation mode of one pilot controlling one or more unmanned aircraft has been unable to meet the needs of specific scenarios, such as logistics scenarios. Distributed operation has gradually become the future development trend of UAS in these scenarios. This paper expounds the theoretical basis, structural framework, and implementation path of the grading of the distributed operation level. In this paper, the evaluation framework is established by using the two dimensions of system automation level (AL) and safety assurance (SA) when grading the operation level (OL), and the evaluation of the operation level is supported by standardized test methods. The establishment of the method in this paper can fill the gap in the operation and management of drones, and provide a basis for operators to apply for operating licenses and for government supervision.