UAS (Unmanned Aerial System)

An unmanned aircraft plus its control link and ground station, flown without a pilot on board; in shipping it does aerial work like emissions sniffing, hull and structure inspection, ship-to-shore parcel delivery, and surveillance. Port-state and coastal authorities use UAS-mounted sniffers to screen exhaust plumes for MARPOL Annex VI sulfur compliance. A UAS is aerial, distinguishing it from surface ASV/USV craft and subsurface AUVs; flight is regulated by national civil-aviation authorities, not the IMO.