ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 explores UTM governance—approaches to the assessment, approval, management, and oversight of UTM components and ecosystem. Conformity assessment, the basis of conformity, and continuing compliance and safety assurance are considered. Furthermore, the trend toward quantitative data-driven risk assessment, driven by the shift from prescriptive to performance-based regulation is described. Potential UTM qualification methods examined include, in part, self-declaration, third-party audits, service level agreements (SLAs), and traditional or updated airworthiness certification.
Rules of the air must respond to advancing surveillance technologies, resolve when manned aircraft will be required to participate in UTM, and contemplate possible simultaneous operations of ATM and UTM, and incremental autonomous operations. Traditional instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) rules may present unworkable gaps to UTM, prompting proposals for new airspace volumes and constructs. Moreover, fairness in airspace access presents novel challenges.
Other governance challenges include assuring suitable RF spectrum allocation to support expanding communication requirements. Additionally, there is broadening recognition of the role of state, regional, and local governments as UTM stakeholders. Business models and competition law affect governance particularly since some of the world's largest companies are at the helm. Apportionment of liability, and development of effective insurance regimes must also be addressed.
