ZMP controller reports a uav descending out of FL350 to FL300 without clearance. When questioned by ...

Narrative:

While working an adjacent sector I witnessed a uav deviate from his assigned altitude. This uav was cleared to maintain FL350. The aircraft descended out of FL350 to FL300 without a clearance. When questioned by the controller; the remote pilot stated that he could not maintain FL350 so he descended. I feel this event happened due to the training of the remote pilots of the unmanned aircraft. I had no role in the event other than witness. I was informed by the controller and the flm that they were not going to file any paperwork on the event. The accountability and standards for unmanned aircraft remotes should be equal to the standards of the commercial pilots. Also unmanned aircraft must be held to the same restrictions as manned aircraft. For example; in the global hawk system; if the aircraft loses data link it will fly its programmed flight plan. It will not maintain its last assigned altitude. In this example positive separation can not be maintained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP Controller reports a UAV descending out of FL350 to FL300 without clearance. When questioned by the Controller the remote pilot stated that he could not maintain FL350 so he descended.

Narrative: While working an adjacent sector I witnessed a UAV deviate from his assigned altitude. This UAV was cleared to maintain FL350. The aircraft descended out of FL350 to FL300 without a clearance. When questioned by the controller; the remote pilot stated that he could not maintain FL350 so he descended. I feel this event happened due to the training of the remote pilots of the unmanned aircraft. I had no role in the event other than witness. I was informed by the controller and the FLM that they were not going to file any paperwork on the event. The accountability and standards for unmanned aircraft remotes should be equal to the standards of the commercial pilots. Also unmanned aircraft must be held to the same restrictions as manned aircraft. For example; in the Global Hawk System; if the aircraft loses data link it will fly its programmed flight plan. It will not maintain its last assigned altitude. In this example positive separation can not be maintained.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1031905
Time
Date	201208
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZMP.ARTCC
State Reference	MN
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance

ZMP controller reports a uav descending out of FL350 to FL300 without clearance. When questioned by the controller the remote pilot stated that he could not maintain FL350 so he descended.