FAA Awards $12 Million to Test Systems for Expanded Drone Operations

The FAA committed $12 million to 19 research and testing projects pairing companies with designated UAS Test Sites. The portfolio addresses technical barriers to expanded drone operations, including long-range flight and coordination with existing air traffic.

For local agencies considering drone services, reliable communications, collision avoidance and flight authorization are operational concerns to track. These projects could help clarify those requirements, but the funding announcement is not evidence of deployment readiness.

The FAA’s latest funding supports research and testing rather than new operational permissions. Through its UAS Broad Agency Announcement Program, companies will work with FAA-designated test sites on technologies needed to integrate drones into the National Airspace System. Projects include satellite communications for long-range flights, detect-and-avoid systems, secure verification of drone identity and flight authorization, and tools for managing reserved urban drone airspace. The work will involve the agency’s nine-site testing network. For city and county teams evaluating drone services, the relevant signal is the focus on coordination and safety infrastructure needed for more complex operations, including flights beyond visual line of sight. Testing could generate evidence about communications, aircraft visibility and integration with existing air traffic systems. The awards do not establish that these technologies are ready for procurement or routine municipal deployment.

Evidence supplied by DRONELIFE.