Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Research Managed By Hughes Technical Center In Atlantic
City
The FAA has signed a cooperative research development
agreement (CRDA) with UAS manufacturer Insitu for a ScanEagle
unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and related support hardware and
data. The FAA will use the aircraft to conduct research needed to
guide the development of recommendations for integrating unmanned
aircraft systems into the national airspace.
The research will be managed by the Research and Technology
Development Office and conducted at the William J. Hughes Technical
Center in Atlantic City, NJ. As part of the agreement, Insitu will
train FAA pilots and support staff to fly and maintain the system.
The company will also supply documentation related to the ScanEagle
UAS.
“The FAA has a well-equipped laboratory and resources at
the technical center that will allow them to fully evaluate our
Tier II system,” said Insitu Vice President, Commercial
Business Development Paul McDuffee. “Through the CRDA, the
FAA will have an opportunity to better understand UAS design,
construction and functionality. It will also begin determining
differences in how an air traffic controller manages an unmanned
aircraft versus a manned aircraft by integrating the ScanEagle
system with existing FAA air traffic control simulation
capabilities.”
ScanEagle UAS File Photo
Insitu, based in Bingen, WA, is a subsidiary of Boeing.
ScanEagle has proven itself in military operations particularly
in providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and has
flown more than 320,000 hours performing such missions. However,
the ScanEagle can have practical benefits in civil applications as
well. For example, ScanEagle, with its 24-hour endurance
capability, can be useful in search and rescue operations, for fire
and flood monitoring and for guiding evacuation efforts during
hazardous weather conditions, particularly when flying a manned
aircraft would be too risky for the pilot or too expensive.
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