It doesn’t apply to you though

I am going to start by saying that this doesn’t actually affect pilots. Airline, aeroplane, actual pilots.

(I’m only joking with the ‘actual’ pilot remark).

But actually, while it isn’t relevant to the aforementioned pilots, it actually is vaguely worth knowing and possibly interesting so read on.

I thought it interesting enough to bother writing an entire post about after all…

The codes we all know and love

Love… but hope we never need to use!

I am of course talking about the good old ICE codes:

I – Interference 7500

C – Communications 7600

E – Emergency 7700

These are the transponder codes we set if we experience any of those non-normal situations.

Someone trying to break into the flight deck? Squawk 7500

Can’t get hold of anyone on the radio, or any of the other communications systems we have onboard. Which is a lot so this isn’t super likely. Did you try SATCOM? OK, you did and also doesn’t work? OK, then squawk 7600

On fire! Wing fell off! Getting attacked by a flock of mutant pigeons and need some encouragement through the radio on how to handle it? Squawk 7700

You get the picture! Depending on the situation, squawk the required number. And ‘squawking’ is about right, although it’s more a visual ‘squawk’ – it lights up on the ATC radar screen to get their attention, and all focus is now on you!

Quick fun fact…

Why is it called a ‘squawk’ code? Yes, that is the official term!

Well, it has its origins back in WWII. Back then, they had something called an IFF system – ‘Identification Friend or Foe’. Basically, do we like you, or should we aim at you?

This is what we now know as primary radar. For reasons I don’t know, but which I assume had something to do with the way it sends something out which is repeated back they gave it the code name ‘Parrot’.

Parrots squawk, hence ‘squawk code’.

Another less fun fact, but a fact all the same

For those who don’t remember much of their ATPL theory exams – transponders use an octal system which means it is based on 8 digits. Although confusingly, the transponder uses 0 to 7. Anyway, this enables 4,096 possible transponder code options.

ICAO says…

…which code to set for which emergency, and of course this is standardised across the big old Earth.

They picked the number 7 because, I assume, its the last one on the box so you’re less likely to press it by accident and set an emergency code/ or accidentally wind your way through it while turning the transponder off if you’ve got some old school one with a knob like an early 20th century telephone…

Now, back in May 2025 they changed it up a bit when they added a new code – 7601

This is still related to communication issues which is why it is just the other code with a 1 stuck on the end. But this is now for aircraft that are specifically under IFR and decide “oh no, I can’t hear anything, but I can stay in VMC and divert so that’s what I’ll do.”

This was whacked into Eurocontrol’s Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) and anyone operating in Europe should know to use this.

Of course, not everyone caught on as quick as they should. There were some NOTAMS flying around saying

SERA.14083 NOT YET IMPLEMENTED

They might all be gone by now, I’ve not checked. And also non EU countries don’t use it, so depending on where you are, you might want to set 7600 still.

But now.. dum dum duuummmmm

There is an entirely new one!

And I’m not talking sticking a 1 on the end of one of the other codes wither. I’m talking a brand new, starts with a 7, ends with 0, code for emergencies.

7400

Unfortunately, as I said right at the start, this isn’t applicable to airline pilots. Any pilots of the ‘sitting in it controlling it directly’ aircraft type in fact.

Although it might be interesting for anyone who likes watching things unfold on FR24…

No. This one is for the drones.

Yup, they get their own code. Basically, if the “pilot” (sorry, they are real pilots)… if the pilot loses communication with it, they can set 7400 which alerts ATC.

This code is mostly aimed at the UAS (unmanned aerial systems) stuff operating BVLOS (beyond visual line of site) that is starting to get used more and more for cargo and even potentially passenger stuff.

We aren’t talking your little DJI photo taking drone here. Some drones are huge.

But what can ATC do?

Well, for one, they can move other aircraft out of its way.

These should have a fail safe on them which makes them revert to a pre-programmed route if communication is lost, so ATC can check that route, check if its crossing paths with anything else and voila – safeness.

Not so ICAO though

This is currently not adopted by ICAO. In fact, it’s a British thing because they are taking the increase into UAS flying pretty seriously there.

The new CAP 493 on it was issued in March, and is effective from May 7th 2026.

But credit actually should go to the USA and the FAA who have been using this since 2016.

Why should non-UAS pilots care?

Well, like I said, you might like tracking stuff in which case head to FR24 and see if they are tracking 7400 squawks.

But also, it is worth keeping vaguely up to date on UAS airspace rules and regulations, procedures and policies because their airspace is, well, our airspace.

Drones already have a big impact on commercial aviation – like closing airports and airspaces down. They aren’t going anywhere though, and so we need to find ways to exist alongside them.

This is one of those ways. Enabling drones to squawk this code, and ATC being aware of it, hopefully means less closures and less impact when they do lose communication because ATC can a) see they are in trouble and b) check the pre-programmed route and shift other stuff out of the way.

So, 7400. A new code to know even if you won’t ever get to set it yourself.