Wanted, Aeroplane Pilots. Candidates must possess a great attitude, willingness to learn, and a concern for public safety. Those with a sense of invulnerability or hazardous impulsivity attitude need not apply.
– Vintage Help Wanted Ad
So what can be done to develop a safety culture within the UAS Industry?
A culture of safety is developed when people in a group see themselves as having unique qualities. When members are able to share unique or unusual skills, abilities and specialized language (as pilots, paddlers, and climbers do), they develop a sense of identity that separates them from other groups. It establishes a commitment to something that is greater than an individual. And the values and beliefs that group (or organization or industry) has about safety is known, simply, as a “safety culture.”
In other words, values held by the UAS community as a whole, can and do influence an individual’s view of risk. We might be able to modify an individual’s behavior through rewards or punishment; but to develop a “safety culture,” we must change the way an entire community thinks and reasons. It’s not easy and changes that occur usually happen incrementally. Safety culture development is an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary or forced process.
So what can the insurance industry do to improve UAS safety? The insurance industry has the ability to widen a UAS operator’s utility gap between having or not having an accident motivating them to lower their level of risk. In short, they can offer incentives that motivate the operator to practice less risky behavior because people don't like to lose money.
Insurance incorporates most elements that safety experts consider necessary to develop a culture of safety including reward (premium benefit), training, punishment (increased premium) and shared community through spread of risk and protection. For that reason, the insurance industry is in a unique position to influence and develop emerging industries and their participation in a culture of safety, thus, facilitate its acceptance by government and the public through the reduction of risk.
Of all measures that affect people’s motivation towards safety, those that reward people for accident-free performance are the most effective. Of all possible incentives that reward people for accident-free performance, some are more effective than others because they contain the elements that appear to enhance motivation towards safety. Reward, punishment, credibility, positive perception and protection.
Reducing premium costs associated with particular missions through the use of a better suited aircraft or more experienced pilots is one example of how insurers can reward an operator for making lower risk decisions. Things like profit commissions that return a percentage of the annual premium to an operator for accident-free operations and loss based dividends can motivate an operator toward safer operations in exchange for a future benefit.
A certificate of insurance is proof that a UAS operator has met some standard of safety and acceptance by an interested third party with some skin in the game. That proof lends credibility and a perception that the insured UAS operator adheres to a culture of safety and a willingness to meet the high standards and conditions required by an insurer.
An insurance policy provides protection to the UAS operator for the loss of money, valuable assets, diminishes exposure to their livelihood and their loved-ones when something does go wrong. Most spouses and families grow used to having a roof over their heads is the theory at play here.
One thing is certain, before any behavior change becomes permanent; the group who is asked to do the changing must believe that the changes matter. If UAS operators believe that operating safely can benefit their lives and the lives of their families, they will be more likely to make the change. If UAS operators believe there is a good chance they will be punished for operating dangerously, their behaviors might change as well. A combination of reward, motivation and accountability is the key.