FAA Reveals Drone Testing Sites

Stephen Pope

Thursday, January 02, 2014 at 10:59 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has designated six new testing sites across Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas, and Virginia for unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
These congressionally mandated sites will facilitate research into certification and operational requirements for drones, particularly focusing on detect-and-avoid technology and autonomous flight capabilities to integrate them into national airspace.
The sites, selected from 25 applicants, will be funded by their operators rather than the government, with potential for operators to charge drone manufacturers for testing commercial devices.

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The FAA on Monday announced six testing sites for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as part of the agency’s long-term “roadmap” to integrate drones into the nation’s busy airspace.

The testing locations will be set up in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas, and Virginia. The FAA plans to open the first site within 180 days, with all six scheduled to start operations in the next few years.