On June 9, 2014, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the third of six test sites chosen for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research has been deemed operational.
The FAA granted the State of Nevada a two-year Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to use an Insitu ScanEagle at Desert Rock Airport located in Mercury, Nevada.
The research at the Nevada test site will focus on identifying UAS safety standards and operational goals as well as operator standards and certification requirements. The site will evaluate how air traffic control procedures will need to evolve to ensure the safe and efficient introduction of UAS into the civil aviation system and also how UAS will integrate with NextGen, the modernization of the national airspace system.
The FAA announcement can be found here.
For more information, please contact Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.