The Federal Aviation Administration awarded $12 million to 19 drone research and testing projects to support the safe expansion of unmanned aircraft operations in the National Airspace System.
The FAA awarded the funds through its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Broad Agency Announcement Program.
The program funds companies working with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites to evaluate technologies that can support broader drone integration, including long-range operations, traffic management, aircraft detection, communications, identification, and urban airspace coordination.
The projects also support federal efforts to expand the development, testing, and scaling of U.S. drone technologies.
The 19 projects include:
- General Atomics will work on ground systems designed to help drones detect and avoid other aircraft.
- NAVMAR will develop systems intended to support the safe operation of large drones.
- SPS Aerial Remote Sensing will test drone visibility technology.
- ANRA Technologies will develop tools connecting air taxi operations, vertiports, and flight procedures.
- Devorto Corporation will work on long-range cargo drone service capabilities.
- ANRA Technologies will develop tools designed to provide drones with a common altitude reference.
- DroneUp will test a secure system for verifying drone identity and flight authorization.
- SPS Aerial Remote Sensing will work on a sensor system supporting drone traffic management and counter-drone operations.
- SPS Aerial Remote Sensing will develop tools for measuring sensor performance.
- OneRadio Corporation will test passive radar technology intended to help drones avoid other aircraft.
- Censys Technologies will evaluate satellite communications for long-range drone operations.
- Frequentis USA will conduct a drone technology demonstration.
- ANRA Technologies will develop tools connecting drone traffic management systems with traditional air traffic systems at airports.
- ANRA Technologies will work on AI technologies capable of identifying different types of drones.
- Skydweller will develop onboard systems designed to help large drones avoid other aircraft.
- Aerial Vantage will work on tools for managing reserved drone airspace in urban environments.
- Lighthouse Avionics will develop surveillance capabilities for long-range drone routes.
- ResilienX will develop software for coordinating drone missions and resources.
- Oklahoma State University will work on drone visibility technology through its Aero Aware project.
The FAA currently operates with nine designated UAS Test Sites across Alaska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Indiana.
The sites provide controlled environments where companies, universities, and government agencies can test new drone technologies and operational concepts before broader deployment.
The FAA said research from the program will help produce additional operational data, identify integration challenges, and inform future decisions about safely incorporating drones into the national airspace.
KEY QUOTES:
“The UAS Broad Agency Announcement Program gives us another way to directly work with industry and our test site partners on technologies that are critical to safe drone integration. The research supported through this program will give us better data, help us identify and understand operational challenges, and inform how we safely integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System.”
Bryan Bedford, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
