AV News: NASA Successfully Tests Drone Flight Tracker

When you think of NASA, you probably think of rocket ships, not drones. But the U.S.’s space program recently entered the drone arena. NASA tested a UAS traffic management – or UTM – system late last month by flying multiple drones at the Federal Aviation Administration’s six test sites. The goal was to develop a way to track drone flights, since drones don’t currently broadcast their location like larger aircraft. A total of 24 drones were flown in rural areas and within line of sight during the three-hour test. A mix of fixed-wing aircraft and quadcopters were used in the testing process. The drone operators entered their flight plans before the test. NASA’s UTM then monitored the flights of each drone used. Among the additional factors monitored by NASA were weather conditions, radar, and cellular signals in an effort to see how accurately the drones maintained their flight plans. The test was deemed a success by NASA. Follow AirVūz News for the latest updates in the drone community.