On December 30, 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selected six test site operators to conduct unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research. This selection was a result of a congressional mandate that the FAA establish a test site program in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
Following its solicitation for proposals in February 2013, the FAA received 25 proposals from 24 states. In making its selection, the FAA considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, safety, aviation experience, and risk. The FAA sought geographic and climatic diversity.
The six test site operators selected and the research the test site operators will conduct are:
1. University of Alaska. The research will include the development of a set of standards for unmanned aircraft categories, state monitoring, and navigation as well as safety standards. The proposal included a diverse set of test site range locations in seven climatic zones and geographic diversity with test site locations in Hawaii and Oregon.
2. State of Nevada. The research objectives focus on UAS standards and operations, operator standards, and certification requirements. The research will also include the evolution of air traffic control procedures with the introduction of UAS and how these aircraft will be integrated with NextGen.
3. New York’s Griffiss International Airport. The research at this site will focus on developing test and evaluation as well as verification and validation processes under FAA safety oversight. Additionally, the research will include sense and avoid capabilities. This site assists in researching the complexities of integrating UAS into the congested, northeast airspace.
4. North Dakota Department of Commerce. This site will focus on developing UAS airworthiness essential data and validating high reliability link technology. The site’s research will also include human factors research. North Dakota was the only proposal to offer a test range in the temperate climate zone.
5. Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. The site will develop system safety requirements for UAS vehicles and operations. The goal of the research is to create protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing.
6. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). This site plans to conduct UAS failure mode testing and identify and evaluate operational and technical risks areas.
The FAA believes that the six UAS test site operators will meet the agency’s research goals of System Safety & Data Gathering, Aircraft Certification, Command & Control Link Issues, Control Station Layout & Certification, Ground & Airborne Sense & Avoid, and Environmental Impacts.
Under the current law, test site operations will continue until at least February 13, 2017.
The FAA’s press release announcing the selection of the test sites can be found here.
For more information on UAS and the test site operator selection, contact Glenn Wicks orRonce Almond at (202) 457-7790.