U.S. Transportation Secretary, Elaine L. Chao, announced in August, 2020, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $3.3 million in research, education, and training grants to universities.
These universities comprise FAA’s Air Transportation Centre of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which are also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS, through Research Excellence (ASSURE).
According to Chao, “These grants will help develop a greater array of innovative strategies to more effectively deploy drones during emergency response situations.”*
“The FAA’s COE program, which is authorized by Congress, as a long-term, cost-sharing partnership between academia, industry, and government. The program makes it possible for the FAA to work with members and affiliates to conduct research in airspace and airport planning and design, environment and aviation safety. The COE also allows the FAA to engage other transportation- related activities.”*
There are now 1.65 million recreational and commercial drones (PDF) in the active Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ (UAS) fleet, a number that is expected to increase to as much as 2.31 million by 2024 (PDF). The Alliance for System Safety of UAS, through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grants are aimed at continuing the safe and successful integration of drones into the nation’s airspace.*
Steve Dickson, FAA Administrator, stated,
“Collaboration is hugely important as we work to safely integrate UAS into the aerospace system. These important grants fund the research which allows us to learn and implement the safety measures associated with UAS operations in the airspace.”*
This grant is for the lead university of ASSURE to provide overall program management, which will include tracking of financial information for all core activities of the university project. In addition, this program also includes reviewing and vetting of all project related documentation before submission to the FAA, hosting and facilitating all FAA-required meetings, and outreach to government, industry, and academia.
- Mississippi State University (MS)–lead university………………………….. $1,290,410
Disaster Preparedness and Response (Phase I of II, as directed by Congress)
This research will provide insight into the safe integration of UAS into the disaster preparedness and response areas to consider how UAS can assist in disaster preparedness and response to different natural and man-made disasters.
- University of Alabama–Huntsville (AL)–lead university….…………………. $1,101,000
- New Mexico State University (NM)…………………………………. ………. $234,000
- University of Alaska, Fairbanks (AK)…………………….…………………… $245,000
- Mississippi State University (MS)………………………………..;………………. $130,000
- North Carolina State University (NC)………………………………………… $124,979
- Oregon State University (OR)………………………….……………………… $165,000
The FAA’s Air Transportation Centre of Excellence (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 announced bring the Fiscal Year, 2020, total for this COE, to $5.8 million.
Future
The FAA’s generous gift of seven drone grants of $3.3 million in research, education, and training to universities, will provide further insight into the safe integration of UAS into the disaster preparedness and response areas, which are so very important to advances in drone technology for the future.
