Tue, Aug 23, 2011
Test Sites For 'Sense And Avoid' To Be Chosen Next Year
The Pentagon and the FAA have announced that the U.S. will
create between four and ten regions in domestic airspace where
testing of unmanned aircraft systems will be conducted to evaluate
new "sense and avoid" technology. The areas will enable testing in
heavily-traveled commercial airspace, and site selection will
reportedly begin next year.
AOL Defense reports that Steve Pennington, executive
director of the Defense Policy Board on Federal Aviation, confirmed
last week that the sites will not be co-located with existing
Defense Department sites already cleared for UAS testing, such as
Grand Forks Air Force Base, but will likely abut such sites.
The idea is to start demonstrating that technology allowing UAS
to "sense-and-avoid" will be safe enough to let them fly in the
"see-and-avoid" world of manned aircraft. In the coming round of
tests, the UAS will get help from ground-based systems to help them
avoid mid-air collisions with manned aircraft. Data from ATC and
other sources will be fed to ground-based operators of unmanned
craft to allow them to preserve separation.
The authorization to create the zones is part of the FAA
reauthorization legislation stalled in Congress. Lawmakers are
expected to take a fresh look at finally providing the FAA with
long-term funding and authorization when they return from their
summer vacations next month.
So...what federal lawmaker would want to allow mixing of manned
and unmanned air traffic over his district? Pennington predicts
lawmakers will compete for that opportunity when they see the
increased federal spending it could bring in their areas.
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