The goal of ICAO in addressing unmanned aviation is to provide the fundamental international regulatory framework through Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), with supporting Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS) and guidance material, to underpin routine operation of UAS throughout the world in a safe, harmonized and seamless manner comparable to that of manned operations. The circular “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)” from 2011 is the first step in reaching that goal.

The EASA “Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945)” (EAR) contain the underlying regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945 as well as the procedures for operation in form of acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM). The EAR may be obtained in .pdf format, as online publication and in xml readable format.  

JARUS Annex E refers to a set of guidelines and standards developed by the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) related to the specific operational categories for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones.

Annex E focuses on Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology. It provides a structured approach to assessing the risk associated with specific drone operations in various environments and conditions. This methodology helps categorize drone operations based on risk levels, allowing for tailored regulations and safety measures for different types of drone operations.

The guidelines in JARUS Annex E offer a framework for conducting risk assessments and determining appropriate mitigation measures to ensure safe and responsible drone operations. It assists regulatory authorities in defining requirements and regulations for specific types of UAS operations, contributing to the safe integration of drones into airspace.