As unmanned aircraft operations become more ubiquitous in the National Airspace System, one of the key remaining challenges is instilling the precepts of safety culture, aviation professionalism, airmanship, and effective aeronautical decision-making among these non-traditional aviators. To address these challenges, researchers codified best practices and operational recommendations from across the UAS industry, collectively publishing them in a compendium titled the UAS Pilots Code (UASPC). Guidance for the UASPC was informed by material assembled from leading governmental and industry organizations including: FAA, AEA, AMA, AOPA, ASTM, AUVSI, CANSO, EAA, EASA, EUROCAE, ICAO, ISO, JARUS, NBAA, RTCA, SAE, UVS, and others. Extensive recommendations, guidance, and ongoing peer review feedback was integrated from 60 aviation and UAS industry professionals. Divided into seven sections, the UASPC highlights the general safety responsibilities of UAS pilots, imparts methods to avoid creating hazards to manned aircraft operations and people on the surface, recommends training and proficiency benchmarks, encourages practices to ensure security and protect personal privacy, promotes environmental responsibility, guides the use of technology and automation, and advocates means of advancing the overall professionalism of the UAS industry. The UASPC contains 36 core safety principles supported by 180 sample recommended practices. The UASPC is not designed to merely establish minimum standards of practice, but rather to encourage continual safety improvement and excellence through self-regulation and responsibility. The UASPC was created as a collaborative venture between the Aviators Code Initiative and the University Aviation Association as a volunteer, public service to enhance aviation safety
