NTSB Working to Streamline Drone Program

Safety agency does not have a centralized system for tracking its drones, which are used to capture video and photos of incidents.

Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 04:40 PM ET

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An NTSB air safety investigator begins the initial examination of the wreckage of a Pilatus PC-12 that crashed in Chamberlain, South Dakota, on November 30, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. CT shortly after departure from Chamberlain Municipal Airport. [Credit: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB is seeking a cloud-based software solution to enhance the management and tracking of its growing drone fleet.
This initiative is necessary due to the recent expansion of their UAS program, which has increased from 5 to 12 drones and expanded personnel from 4 to 15.
The agency's current manual tracking methods are deemed "archaic" and "inefficient," making a robust safety management system difficult, and the new software aims to improve investigation effectiveness.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is working to enhance its drone program by seeking a cloud-based software provider for fleet management, according to a recent federal contract posting.

The agency intends to use this software to more effectively track its increasing number of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), which are vital for investigating accidents. The NTSB does not have a centralized system for tracking its drones, which are used to capture video and photos of incidents and perform mapping and photogrammetry.

Amelia Walsh

Amelia Walsh is a private pilot who enjoys flying her family’s Columbia 350. She is based in Colorado and loves all things outdoors including skiing, hiking, and camping.