Flying uncharted skies: Unravelling the network of contributory factors to adverse Australian RPAS events with an aggregate AcciMap

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are a rapidly expanding technology that operates within the larger complex aviation system. As a result, protective frameworks and risk controls for supporting safe operation are still developing. Adverse events are occurring, yet it is unclear what systemic factors interact to create them. To identify vulnerabilities in the broader Australian RPAS network, this study used AcciMap to analyse a set of adverse RPAS events investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Investigation reports into RPAS incidents in Australia (n = 14) were identified and analysed in-depth with AcciMap; individual AcciMaps were constructed for each adverse event. The data was then aggregated to create a network of contributory factors across the RPAS network in Australia. The findings revealed 232 individual contributory factors across five of the six AcciMap levels. The contributory factors were then coded using a pre-existing classification scheme to identify 31 contributory factor themes. The highest proportion of contributory factors were at the lower operational and equipment levels of the system; these factors included Equipment, technology and resources; Activity, work and operations; and Compliance with procedures, violations and unsafe acts. According to systems theory and previous analyses using AcciMap, we would expect to find organisational, regulatory and government contributory factors, yet such factors were limited in this sample. Further research is required to explore the factors across the entire sociotechnical system that contribute to adverse RPAS events.