Short-term noise annoyance towards drones and other transportation noise sources: A laboratory study

Noise from unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as "drones," will likely shape our acoustic environment in the near future. Yet, reactions of the population to this new noise source are still little explored. The objective of this study was to investigate short-term noise annoyance reactions to drones in a controlled laboratory experiment. Annoyance to (i) two quadcopters of different sizes in relation to common contemporary transportation noise sources (jet aircraft, propeller aircraft, helicopters, single car passbys), and (ii) different drone maneuvers (takeoff; landing; high, medium, and low flybys) flown at different speeds and elevations was systematically assessed. The results revealed that, at the same sound exposure level, drones are perceived as substantially more annoying than other airborne vehicles and passenger cars. Furthermore, for drone maneuvers, landings, and takeoffs are more annoying than flybys, as are maneuvers flown at low speed. Different loudness metrics (LAE, LDE, effective perceived noise level, psychoacoustic loudness level) accounted for drone noise annoyance ratings to an equal degree. An analysis of psychoacoustic parameters highlighted the significant link between drone noise annoyance and tonality, sharpness, and loudness level. The results suggest a different perception and an increased annoyance potential of drones, which will likely require specifically tailored legislation.