Ergonomic Risk Analysis for Drone Pilots

Abstract

The use of drones has increased due to various circumstances in recent years: the uses and applications they offer, the ease of piloting them and their increasing accessibility are perhaps the most important reasons. New applications are emerging, increasing professional interest in these small aircraft. The operator who pilots the drone never boards it and, therefore, the pilot does not suffer the consequences of its movements. However, there is an interaction with a specific interface that, together with the need to always control the aircraft, directly affects the operator's posture. This article stems from this postural analysis, to determine the conditions that this new job should provide to avoid musculoskeletal disorders. Starting from the identification of dangerous postures in real flights, the article applies the RULA methodology to determine the need for action and the possible corrections to be adopted. Thus, it must be verified that there are awkward postures that pilots (workers of a flight operator company for this study) should avoid, and that above all preventionists should study to avoid injuries during certain drone operations.