3. Qualitative analysis: minimal cuts

Minimal cuts represent the smallest combinations of elementary events capable, on their own, of causing the loss of the drone. In the non-redundant architecture studied, several of these combinations correspond to single failures.

Minimum cuts of order 1 (single failure points)

• {Engine failure}

• {ESC failure}

• {Loss of GNSS}

• {Loss of IMU}

• {Flight controller software failure}

• {Complete battery discharge}

• {BMS failure}

Minimum cuts of order 2 (combined failures required)

• {Radio module failure} AND {low battery}

• ...