Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Systems (UAS) acceptance are predominantly featured in qualitative research. Various UAV applications are being tested in Germany. Thus, experience with UAVs or UAS can hardly be collected. Societal acceptance is considered critical for successfully implementing UAVs in Transportation systems. Therefore, a systematical approach is important to evaluate the influential factors behind UAV acceptance and their interdependence.
We present the experimental results of 24 undergraduate participants who rated 81 stimuli regarding acceptance and aesthetics. Pictures of Quadcopters in two saliencies (orange, white) and two usages icons (commercial, medical), as well as pictures of a helicopter with the same markings and a goose, were superimposed over background scenes in different areas (industrial, rural, urban). Participants were asked to classify the objects to ensure awareness of usage. A survey assessed the reasons for the participant's acceptance ratings in the experiment.
Results demonstrated that the usage had the largest impact on acceptance ratings, followed by the Area of operation and Salience. For example, objects with medical usage were accepted irrespective of other factors. Commercial objects were more accepted in industrial areas, and commercial UAVs were more accepted than commercial helicopters. In the survey, the factors usefulness, traffic relief, reduction of privacy, and acceptance by society were, on average, rated as most influential in the acceptance ratings.
The study design made the results of UAV acceptance comparable. These systematic findings could benefit the discussion of acceptance of UAV use, as it depends on various contextual factors with different importance.