CAA Drone Safety Cases (UAS)

Overview

Draft and validate the Operating Safety Case (OSC) for complex UAS operations under the UK CAA. Covers the three-volume structure per CAP 722A (Operations Manual, Technical Manual, Risk Assessment), ground and air risk, and integration with risk evaluation and airspace checks.

Getting Started

Add your source materials to the project workspace, then activate the CAA Drone Safety Cases (UAS) skill. The agent will guide you through the process step by step.

Example conversation

Session where a user requests an OSC for a BVLOS logistics corridor, then runs validation.

You: We need an Operating Safety Case for a BVLOS delivery corridor — 12 km linear route, 120 m AGL, multi-rotor MTOM 7 kg. Operations are in Class G; we’ve checked NOTAMs and there are no restricted areas on the path. Can you draft the three volumes and then validate?

Agent: I’ll create the OSC from the template and populate it for your BVLOS corridor. I’ve set up the document with Volume 1 (Operations Manual): company, BVLOS operations, aircraft type and registration, pilot competency (GVC + BVLOS training), lost-link behaviour (RTH at 80 m), and maintenance schedule. Volume 2 covers your multi-rotor specs, dual GNSS, C2 link redundancy, and RTH/geofence. For Volume 3 I’ve drafted the risk assessment with ground risk (sparsely populated corridor, buffer from built-up areas) and air risk (Class G, no conflicting traffic expected; procedural mitigations). I’ve noted that the flight path was checked against UK restricted/prohibited areas with no conflicts. Running validate_osc_structure now.

Agent: Validation result: all three volumes present, key sections detected. One WARNING — “Unfilled placeholders detected (3): [Company / organisation name], [Date], [Name]”. I’ll replace those with your operator name, today’s date, and “Prepared by” from your profile. After that the structure is complete; you can plug in exact registration numbers and CAA reference when you have them.

You: Operator name is AeroLog UK Ltd, prepared by J. Smith.

Agent: Updated. Placeholders replaced. Re-ran the validator: PASS. The OSC is structurally ready for your final review and CAA submission.

Excerpt from a generated OSC

Below is an excerpt from Volume 3 — Risk Assessment produced with this skill for a BVLOS corridor operation.

### 3.2 Ground Risk

- **Hazard identification:** Persons and property on the ground along the 12 km corridor; vehicles on minor roads; livestock in adjacent fields. No overfly of assemblies or congested areas.
- **Severity and likelihood:** Ground risk class (GRC) considered equivalent to GRC-2 (low population density, corridor pre-surveyed). Likelihood of impact mitigated by flight profile (120 m AGL), contingency volume, and RTH on lost link.
- **Control measures:** (1) Corridor selected to avoid built-up areas and assemblies. (2) Pre-flight NOTAM and airspace check — no restricted/prohibited areas on route (check dated [date]). (3) Lost-link RTH at 80 m; ballistic descent footprint documented. (4) No operations in forecast wind > 25 kt. (5) Observers at key segments where required by procedures.
- **Residual risk:** Accepted as low. Ground risk buffer and operational volume defined in ops procedures; no overfly of people unless explicitly approved and mitigated.

### 3.3 Air Risk

- **Hazard identification:** Other airspace users (GA, gliders, other UAS). Class G; no controlled airspace on route.
- **Severity and likelihood:** Air risk class (ARC) assessed; mitigations in place to avoid conflict (see-and-avoid where VLOS segment, procedural segregation, coordination with local ATC where applicable).
- **Control measures:** (1) Operations in Class G only; NOTAM issued for BVLOS sorties. (2) C2 and GNSS redundancy; RTH on loss of link. (3) No operations in IMC. (4) Coordination with any known local activity (e.g. gliding club) per Operations Manual.
- **Residual risk:** Accepted as low. Airspace restriction check completed — no overlap with UK Restricted or Prohibited Areas on the defined corridor.

Extension tools

• validate_osc_structure — Checks an OSC document for the CAP 722A three-volume structure (Operations Manual, Technical Manual, Risk Assessment), key subsections, risk assessment content, and unfilled placeholders. Run after drafting or revising an OSC.