UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 6200; Flight Crew Type 2
Communication Breakdown
Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
This report pertains to a situation involving an hq-90b UAS and a Cirrus SR22. We operated a transponder and ADS-B equipped hq-90b UAS. This aircraft is certified for operation under a certificate of waiver or authorization. A NOTAM was filed and was accessible by normal means. TRACON was informed of UAS operation prior to launching operation. We have VHF communications and we were close to launching the VTOL fixed wing aircraft from taxiway Bravo. The Cirrus approached from the ramp toward the taxiway. For safety reasons for all involved; one of my air vehicle operator ground team members; wearing a fluorescent shirt; gave a stop hand signal to the approaching Cirrus pilot to make him aware of the UAS that was sitting on the taxiway and which was ready to launch. The Cirrus pilot stopped and got on the radio (UNICOM) to inquire about why a lineman was stopping him. I politely told him my n-number and explained that we are a UAS that was about to depart for a local flight. The Cirrus pilot used unprofessional phraseology to assert his dissatisfaction. I explained that we will be in the air in less than 1 minute and out of his way. He then went on a lecture about the lack of a NOTAM. I politely explained that a NOTAM was filed. I made my call for our aircraft to launch and we got it into a stable orbit at 400 ft AGL away from all runways and well inside and below the normal traffic pattern. As the Cirrus was taxiing to the runway; I made a call on UNICOM; indicating that we are in a stable left hand orbit; clear and south of both runways at 400 AGL (1100 MSL). The Cirrus pilot kept making a number of additional; very unprofessional calls indicating his dissatisfaction. In one call; he asked if he was going to hit the UAV. I am not sure if I replied but I think I simply stated that we were orbiting south of both runways. This pilot clearly did not read the pertinent NOTAMS as required by 91.103 because he should have found it without problem under the UAS section. As both a manned and unmanned operator and as a researcher who is focused on developing means to integrate UAS safely into US airspace; I can understand that some people who are unfamiliar with UAS may have questions or concerns. Our UAS is not a small UAS; it is a 100-lb aircraft with sophisticated capabilities such as VTOL; long endurance; transponder; dual data link; etc. The operation is performed under the umbrella of a coa (Certificate of Authorization) with significant oversight from the FAA. The learning point from this encounter with an unprofessional pilot is that we cannot assume that NOTAMs for UAS operations are being found or read. It would be good to have a way to put a short audible into the ASOS voice loop about this. At the same time; we should be able to rely on other pilots to refrain from unprofessional phraseology which has no place in aircraft radio transmissions and that safety should be the overriding concern at all times. Road rage like behavior and bullying is not a suitable mental state for operators of any aircraft.
UAS operator reported a conflict with a taxiing aircraft just prior to launch from an airport taxiway. The operation was published informing all users of the airport of the planned UAS operation.