Equitable Skies: Defining Fairness in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management
Abstract
The integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into shared airspace has created a need for clear and equitable management principles within Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM). Despite regulatory and technological progress, the concept of fairness in UTM remains undefined, posing challenges for system design and stakeholder trust. This paper examines the notion of fairness in UTM based on stakeholder perspectives collected through the CORUS five project initiative. The study highlights the importance of transparent, consistently applied rules and mission-based prioritisation, and emphasizes that fairness must be embedded as a foundational principle in future UTM frameworks to ensure sustainable and inclusive airspace access.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Air Traffic Management and Optimization
Human-Automation Interaction and Safety
Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Transportation research procedia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 94
- Pages
- 328–337
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN