The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced $12 million in awards to 19 companies and organizations for drone research and testing projects focused on safely expanding unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) within the National Airspace System.
The projects cover a wide range of technologies, including detect-and-avoid systems, satellite communications, drone traffic management, aircraft identification, sensor performance, and long-range operations.
Much of the research focuses on solving practical challenges that currently limit how and where commercial drones can operate.
Supporting More Advanced Drone Operations
The awards were made through the FAA’s UAS Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Program, which connects private companies with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites to evaluate new technologies and operational concepts.
According to the FAA, the research will provide operational data and help identify potential challenges as more drones enter the National Airspace System.
The funded projects include research into:
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Ground-based and onboard detect-and-avoid systems
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Satellite communications for long-range drone operations
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Integration between drone traffic management and traditional airport air traffic systems
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Secure drone identification and authorization
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Common altitude reference systems
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Sensor and surveillance technologies
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Software for coordinating drone missions and airspace resources
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Long-range cargo operations
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Management of reserved drone airspace in urban environments
Many of these technologies will be necessary to support commercial drone operations at a much larger scale.
Expanding Beyond Visual Line of Sight
Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) continues to be one of the most important areas of development for commercial drone operations.
Under current regulations, many commercial drone operations require pilots to maintain visual line of sight with the aircraft unless additional authorization has been granted. This can limit the efficiency of drone operations across large properties, infrastructure networks, disaster areas, and other environments where longer-range flights would be beneficial.
Several projects included in the FAA’s latest research awards focus on capabilities that support BVLOS operations, including detect-and-avoid technology, satellite communications, surveillance systems, and drone traffic management.
Expanded BVLOS operations could allow organizations to cover larger areas and conduct more inspections without requiring personnel to remain physically positioned near the aircraft throughout every flight.
For industries using drones for property and infrastructure inspections, this could make larger inspection programs much more practical.
Integrating Drones Into the National Airspace
The FAA is also investing in the systems needed to manage drones alongside traditional aviation.
One funded project will explore connecting drone traffic management systems with existing airport air traffic systems. Other projects address altitude references, aircraft identification, surveillance, and the management of designated drone airspace.
As commercial drone use increases, operators will need reliable ways to identify aircraft, understand where they can operate, avoid other aircraft, communicate with airspace systems, and coordinate increasingly complex missions.
The research being funded today will help the FAA evaluate how those systems perform in real-world environments before they are adopted more broadly.
Expanding What’s Possible for Drone Inspections
For inspection professionals, many of the technologies included in this research address limitations they encounter in the field today.
Visual line of sight requirements, airspace restrictions, communication range, and the ability to safely operate around other aircraft can all affect where and how drones are used. Continued development of BVLOS operations, detect-and-avoid technology, and drone traffic management could give operators more flexibility when planning and completing inspections.
This could be especially valuable when inspecting large commercial properties, infrastructure, widespread storm damage, or multiple properties across a larger geographic area.
Instead of changing what drones are used for, these advancements could make existing applications more efficient and easier to scale. Roofing contractors, insurance carriers, solar companies, utilities, and inspection teams could cover more ground while continuing to reduce the need for personnel to physically access difficult or potentially hazardous areas.
For an industry that has spent years proving the value of drones in the field, the FAA’s continued investment in these technologies helps address some of the operational barriers that still limit their use today.
What Continued Drone Research Means for Inspections
The FAA currently recognizes nine UAS Test Sites across the United States where new technologies and operational concepts can be evaluated before broader deployment.
The latest $12 million in research funding continues that work, with many of the projects focused on technologies needed to support more complex commercial drone operations.
As those capabilities develop, drone programs could become easier to deploy across larger geographic areas and property portfolios. For inspection-focused industries, that could mean faster property documentation, fewer unnecessary site visits, safer access to difficult areas, and more consistent data collection.
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