Public Acceptance of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Operations in Sydney Harbour

The increasing availability and affordability of RPA have led to a rapid expansion in their commercial demand. However, this growth has raised concerns due to rising RPA-involved safety incidents, which could negatively impact public acceptance. To address these concerns, this study empirically examines the factors influencing public acceptance of RPA operations. A survey was conducted to collect data on public acceptance across RPA operations within a popular hotspot—Sydney Harbour, Australia. Results reveal varied levels of public acceptance, with environmental monitoring receiving the highest support, followed by commercial filming. Several factors, including self-identified gender, previous RPA experience, and risk–benefit perceptions, significantly influence RPA acceptance. Trust in the RPA pilot is the strongest predictor of acceptance, while privacy risk is significantly more important than mid-air collision and ground impact safety risk. This study adds value by including all three risk types and factors identified in the literature within a single model, providing a statistically robust insight into the factors influencing public acceptance of RPA operations.