“I wish I had known then what I know now” might be a familiar sentiment after a newly purchased piece of equipment or software does not live up to everyone’s expectations. Even if you do your homework before making an important purchase, there will always be surprises that can derail the intended plan. So before jumping on the unmanned aerial system (UAS) bandwagon, there are several significant factors to take into consideration that will improve the probability of success.

George Southard, principal of GSKS Associates, presented the following best practices at the 2014 MAPPS Summer Meeting held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Based on input from actual UAS users and supplemented by knowledge gained at a variety of committee meetings, such as the AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International), RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics), and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), Southard has unique insights into preparing for the commercial use of UAS.