Seven Schools Receive FAA Funding for Drone Research

More than 800,000 recreational and commercial drones are in the active drone fleet. [File photo: Adobe Stock]

The FAA announced late last week that it will be awarding grants for drone research totalling $4.4 million to seven universities.

The schools will focus on:

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 seven schools receiving funding are:

The University of North Dakota
The University of Kansas
Drexel University
The Ohio State University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Mississippi State University
Oregon State University

Each school will have a specific research focus.

Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Electromagnetic Compatibility

The following schools’ 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.

The University of North Dakota
The University of Kansas
Drexel University

Investigate Detect-and-Avoid Track Classification and Filtering

Schools granted funds for this initiative 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 (BVLOS) operations. The schools working on this track are:

The Ohio State University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Mississippi State University
University of North Dakota

Illustrate the Need for UAS Cybersecurity Oversight and Risk Management

The following school will do research to address this in regards to the National Airspace System and other FAA systems.

University of Kansas
Oregon State University
Drexel University

These funds represent 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 2022.

Drone Embry-Riddle ERAU FAA Research UND University

Ashley BarajasWriter

Based in Texas, Ashley is the former Marketing Manager at FLYING and focuses deeply on training and education. She graduated from the Baylor Institute for Air Science with a Bachelor's in Aviation Science and holds an MBA specializing in Marketing. She is an also instrument rated private pilot and licensed FAA dispatcher.