Trustworthy Airspaces of the Future: Hopes and concerns of experts regarding Uncrewed Traffic Management systems

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) such as drones are an increasingly mundane part of our skies, and are expected as an industry to undergo exponential growth in the coming decade. In order to monitor and manage the airspace, Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) systems are being developed that will ensure UAS are able to interface with one another and with relevant forces on the ground. However, the remit of what UTM systems should incorporate is still in flux, leading to slow progress and lack of clarity in regulations that is already impacting the ability of the UAS industry to evolve. We present the findings of interviews with experts related to UAS, UTM, and general air traffic management in order to understand their concerns and hopes for the future of UTM. In particular, we examine how UTM should be shaped by questions around safety, trustworthiness, and fairness of our airspaces. We use these findings to present a roadmap for future UTM developments, including the introduction of scenario generation to embed these findings in tangible airspace models.