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Tag: Federal Aviation Administration grants

  • FAA awards $4.4 million in drone research grants to 7 universities

    FAA awards $4.4 million in drone research grants to 7 universities

    Photo: PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced $4.4 million in drone research, education and training grants to seven universities.

    Research will focus on three areas:

    • electromagnetic compatibility
    • detect-and-avoid classifications
    • cybersecurity oversight.

    “This funding and our ongoing partnerships with these universities will allow the FAA to safely integrate the airspace that has a growing number of diverse aircraft users,” said FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen.

    The research initiatives and grant awardees include:

    Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Electromagnetic Compatibility

    This research will assess the risks, identify drone design vulnerabilities, identify material and procedural mitigations, and propose guidance for safer electromagnetic compatibility with emitted and static fields.

    • University of North Dakota, $325,042
    • University of Kansas, $325,000
    • Drexel University, $325,830

    Investigate Detect-and-Avoid Track Classification and Filtering

    This research will provide proposed metrics, guidance and test methods to assess the effects of false or misleading information on detect-and-avoid capabilities. The findings will support beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations.

    • The Ohio State University, $732,441
    • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, $371,000
    • Mississippi State University, $330,000
    • University of North Dakota, $80,000

    Illustrate the Need for UAS Cybersecurity Oversight and Risk Management

    This research will address UAS cybersecurity oversight and risk management as it pertains to the National Airspace System and other FAA systems.

    • University of Kansas, $651,982
    • Oregon State University, $609,226
    • Drexel University, $608,783

    Today’s announcement is the second round of Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grants, which brings the total of 15 grants valued at $18.3 million for Fiscal Year 2022.

    The ASSURE Center of Excellence is one of six that the FAA has established to help advance technology and educate the next generation of aviation professionals. Research conducted through ASSURE is focused on helping the drone market safely grow and integrate into the nation’s airspace.

    More than 800,000 recreational and commercial drones are in the active drone fleet, and that number is expected to grow.

  • FAA awards $3.3M in drone grants to universities

    FAA awards $3.3M in drone grants to universities

    Photo: PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $3.3 million in research, education and training grants to universities that comprise the FAA’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE).

    “These grants will help develop a greater array of innovative strategies to more effectively deploy drones during emergency response situations,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

    The FAA’s CEO program, authorized by Congress, is a long-term, cost-sharing partnership between academia, industry and government. The program enables the FAA to work with center members and affiliates to conduct research in airspace and airport planning and design, environment and aviation safety, FAA said.

    Mississippi State University received the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through ASSURE Program Management grant for $1,290,410. This grant is for the ASSURE lead university to provide overall program management. This program management will include tracking of financial information for all core university project activities; reviewing and vetting of all project related documentation prior to submission to the FAA; hosting and facilitating all FAA-required meetings; and outreach to government, industry and academia, FAA said.

    Six universities, including the University of Alabama–Huntsville ($1,101,000), New Mexico State University ($234,000), the University of Alaska, Fairbanks ($245,000), Mississippi State University ($130,000), North Carolina State University ($124,979) and Oregon State University ($165,000) received grants for Disaster Preparedness and Response (Phase I and II, as directed by Congress). According to FAA, this research will provide insight into the safe integration of UAS into the disaster preparedness and response areas. This research will look at how UAS can aid in disaster preparedness and response to different natural and human-made disasters. It will focus on procedures to coordinate with the Department of Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal, local and state organizations to ensure proper coordination during those emergencies.

    There are currently 1.65 million recreational and commercial drones in the active UAS fleet. That number is expected to grow to as high as 2.31 million by 2024, FAA reported. The ASSURE grants are aimed at continuing the safe and successful integration of drones into the nation’s airspace.

    “Collaboration is hugely important as we work to safely integrate UAS into the aerospace system,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “These important grants fund the research which allows us to learn and implement the safety measures associated with UAS operations in the airspace.”

    The COE universities received a total of $3.3 million to advance specific goals and projects. This is the second round of ASSURE grants. The grants listed above will bring the fiscal year 2020 total for this COE to $5.8 million.