Flights To Be Conducted On Thursday

NASA plans to continue the final stage of testing for its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) platform in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Thursday, Aug. 15.

This test will focus on drone operations at altitudes between 200 and 400 feet within a dense city environment. Along with larger populations, city landscapes present unique challenges to drone traffic management, including: more obstacles to avoid, specific weather and wind conditions, reduced lines of sight, reduced ability to communicate by radio, and fewer safe landing locations. The Corpus Christi activities will test new ways to address these hurdles using the NASA platform and technologies onboard the participating drones.

Since 2015, NASA has worked to create a research platforms that can manage drone traffic safely. With a long-standing partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and help from industry partners, the goal is to understand how a nationwide system for drones can safely integrate remotely-piloted aircraft into low-altitude airspace.

After the UTM research is completed and results are compiled, NASA will then transfer the findings to the FAA for implementation. This partnership between research and regulation agencies, along with the input of thousands of experts and users will set the stage for a future of a well-connected sky. Drones will offer many benefits by performing jobs too dangerous, dirty or dull for humans to do, and NASA is helping to navigate to that future.

(Image provided with NASA news release)

FMI: www.nasa.gov