The International Civil Operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems under Air Law

The International Civil Operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems under Air Law explores the current legal and regulatory frameworks comprehensively from the perspective of how they may facilitate the routine and cross-border operations of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). While the International Civil Aviation Organization is working to amend and create new Standards and Recommended Practices for the operation of UAS on cross-border flights, Member States have already produced regulations that facilitate the integration and operation of the aircraft within their national airspace. This situation is causing to subvert the attempt to develop uniform and harmonised normative for UAS for international flight operations. The increasing operations of UAS have increased the safety and security concerns on manned aviation, and hence there is an escalating need to adopt a comprehensive regulatory framework for the operation of UAS aimed at safe and efficient integration. The author, a well-known air law practitioner and diplomat, identifies the legal challenges and proposes sound, well-informed measures to tackle such challenges.

What’s in this book:

Analysis of the cross-border operations of UAS focuses on aspects relevant to their immediate future and addresses such questions as the following:

• What processes are currently in place?
• What factors require attention?
• What aspects particularly influence the future of UAS?
• Is the current international legal framework adequate to ensure the operation and development of UAS while preserving high levels of safety?
• How will artificial intelligence impact the civil operations of UAS?

Also described are the main bilateral and multilateral air services and transport agreements with respect to their application to the operation of UAS.

How this will help you:

Addressing the philosophical questions such as the incursion of artificial intelligence in the operation of UAS, without artificial consciousness and how it will impact the future of civil aviation, this book is well timed to meet the challenge for States and International Civil Aviation Organization and airspace planners. Its innovative approaches to the management of the air traffic safety and security of UAS are sure to influence the development of regulations for civil UAS. The book will be welcomed by aviation regulators, research organisations, aviation lawyers, and academics in international law and air law.