Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems is the editors’ response to their unsuccessful search for suitable university-level textbooks on this subject. A collection of contributions from top experts, this book applies the depth of their expertise to identify and survey the fundamentals of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations. Written from a nonengineering civilian operational perspective, the book starts by detailing the history of UASs and then explores current technology and what is expected for the future. Covering all facets of UAS elements and operation―including an examination of safety procedures and human factors―this material gives readers a truly complete and practical understanding of what it takes to safely operate UASs for a variety of missions in the National Airspace System. Topics covered include: The U.S. aviation regulatory system Certificate of authorization process UAS for geospatial data Automation and autonomy in UAS Sensors and payloads With helpful end-of-chapter discussion questions, this resource is designed to give beginning university students and other new entrants to the field a comprehensive, easy-to-understand first overview of the field. The book’s broad scope also makes it useful as a foundation for professionals embarking on further study.