On June 20, 2014, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the fourth of six test sites chosen for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research has been deemed operational.
The FAA granted Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi a two-year Certificate Waiver or Authorization to use an AAAI RS-16 UAS.
Research at the Texas test site will focus on topics vital to the safe integration of UAS into U.S. airspace, including safety of operations and data gathering in authorized airspace, UAS airworthiness standards, command and control link technologies, human-factors issue for UAS control-station layout, and detect-and-avoid technologies.
The team at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi will also undertake several projects involving UAS around Padre Island on Texas’ southern coast. These include the preservation and restoration of the ocean and ocean wetlands along the Padre Island National Seashore, research in advance of approaching tropical depressions, and support to law enforcement in the Padre Island National Seashore, providing data and lessons learned from these flights to the FAA.
The FAA announcement can be found here.
For more information, please contact Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.