Definition
An FAA web-based system used by remote pilots of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) to electronically submit required notifications, reports, and operational data to the FAA. It provides the official channel for filings such as accident reports and certain operational notices required under Part 107 and other UAS regulations.
Plain English
An FAA website that drone pilots use to send the FAA the reports and information they are required to submit, such as accident reports.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA drone data references and behind flight-planning tools used to check where a drone may fly, especially near controlled airports.
Derivation
UAS stands for Unmanned Aircraft System -- an aircraft flown without a pilot on board, together with its control equipment. 'Data Delivery System' simply describes its function: a system for delivering data (the pilot's reports) to the FAA.
Why Pilots Care
Reliable data delivery determines whether the information gathered during a UAS mission is actually available for decision-making or post-flight analysis.
Intuition Check
Do not read “delivery” as physically moving something. Here it means electronically providing official FAA UAS data to software systems or users.
Example Sentence 1
After his drone struck a parked car and caused minor damage, the remote pilot logged into the UAS Data Delivery System to file the required accident report within 10 days.
Example Sentence 2
After landing, the operator downloaded the remaining files that the UAS Data Delivery System had stored when the primary link dropped momentarily.