FAA awards emergency drone research funding

The funds, which constitute the third round of the FAA’s Alliance for System Safety for UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grants will be distributed to five US universities, bringing the total value of the 20 grants awarded so far in 2022 under the scheme to $21 million.

The five universities are:

• University of Vermont ($1.195 million)
• University of Alabama Huntsville ($828,070)
• New Mexico State University ($400,000)
• North Carolina State University ($200,000)
• Kansas State University ($145,000).

The research will explore the use of drones in providing ‘effective and efficient responses to different natural and human-made disasters’. The research will address coordination procedures among drone operators from federal agencies, as well as state and local disaster preparedness and response organizations.

“Every second counts in an emergency, and this funding will allow drones to safely and more quickly deploy in moments when minutes matter,” said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen.

The FAA says that ‘research conducted through ASSURE is focused on helping the drone community safely grow and integrate into the nation’s airspace’. More than 850,000 recreational and commercial drones are currently in operation across the US, with that figure expected to grow in future.

The FAA recently awarded Part 135 air carrier certification to drone logistics firm Zipline in June 2022, authorizing it to conduct long-range on-demand drone deliveries in the US. The company was the first operator to receive the certification under BEYOND, the FAA’s uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) integration system, which focuses on safely integrating Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations in the country’s airspace.