{"id":17426,"date":"2021-01-19T12:28:54","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T12:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saj.pachecostudios.com?p=17426"},"modified":"2021-01-19T12:28:58","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T12:28:58","slug":"faa-announces-5-8-million-in-33-unmanned-aircraft-system-research-grants-to-universities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/aviation-education\/faa-announces-5-8-million-in-33-unmanned-aircraft-system-research-grants-to-universities\/%20","title":{"rendered":"FAA Announces $5.8 Million in 33 Unmanned Aircraft System Research Grants to Universities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Aviation Administration<\/a> (FAA)<\/a> announced $5.8 million in research, education\nand training grants to universities that comprise FAA\u2019s Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft\nSystems (UAS)<\/a>, also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence\n(ASSURE)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese universities are making great strides in advancing\nthe Department\u2019s efforts to integrate UAS safely and efficiently into our\nNation\u2019s airspace system, ultimately delivering new transportation solutions\nand economic benefits for the American people,\u201d Acting U.S. Secretary<\/a> of Transportation Steven G. Bradbury<\/a> said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FAA\u2019s Center of Excellence for UAS is advancing the\nadministration\u2019s transportation and economic goals that air travel provides to\nthe nation. The Center of Excellence UAS universities<\/a> received a total\nof $5,822,990 to advance specific goals and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese universities are making great strides in advancing\nour efforts to safely and efficiently integrate UAS into our nation\u2019s airspace\nsystem,\u201d said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.<\/a> \u201cEach grant is\ndesigned to explore the questions that will lead to greater UAS and unmanned\nair carrier integration, which will ultimately deliver new transportation\nsolutions and economic benefits for the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 1.7 million recreational and commercial drones<\/a> are in\nthe active UAS fleet. That number is expected to grow to as high as 2.31 million by 2024<\/a>. The ASSURE grants are aimed at\ncontinuing and enhancing the safe and successful integration of drones into the\nnation\u2019s airspace system (NAS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FAA has established 13 Centers of Excellence in critical\ntopic areas focusing on: unmanned aircraft systems; alternative jet fuels and\nenvironment; general aviation safety; commercial space transportation; airliner\ncabin environment and intermodal transportation research; aircraft noise and\naviation emissions mitigation; advanced materials; general aviation research;\nairworthiness assurance; operations research; airport pavement and technology;\ncomputational modeling of aircraft structures; and technical training and human\nperformance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first round of ASSURE grants for Fiscal Year (FY)\n2021 were awarded for the following eight (8) research areas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Carrier Operations\u2013Investigate and Identify the Key\nDifferences Between Commercial Air Carrier Operations and Unmanned Transport\nOperations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research will provide findings, recommendations and\nlessons learned that will enhance the FAA\u2019s understanding of the requirements\nfor certifying large UAS for air carrier operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific focus of this evaluation will analyze projected\ndemand by location (e.g. rural, exurb, suburb, or urban) and the feasibility of\ncommercial UAS air carrier operations. It will also explore the role of\nautonomy in UAS vehicles beginning with operations in less risky areas such as\nrural locations to exurbs (areas beyond the suburbs), and then on to more\npopulated areas of suburban and metro areas. This exploration will focus on the\npassenger transportation environment, and investigate the workforce impact of\nthis new capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Kansas State University \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $220,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of Alaska, Fairbanks\n <\/td>\n $150,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n North Carolina State University\n <\/td>\n $150,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of North Dakota\n <\/td>\n $130,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n The Ohio State University\n <\/td>\n $149,745\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

UAS Cargo Operations\u2013From Manned Cargo to UAS Cargo Operations:\nFuture Trends, Performance, Reliability, and Safety Characteristics Towards\nIntegration into the NAS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research will evaluate the feasibility of commercial\nUAS cargo operations together with the projected demand by location.\nFurthermore, the research will detail anticipated needs of the FAA to support\nfurther integration of UAS cargo operations, including how greater autonomy may\nprovide an improved level of safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n University of Alaska, Fairbanks \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $240,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Kansas State University\n <\/td>\n $125,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of Alabama, Huntsville\n <\/td>\n $124,987\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n North Carolina State University\n <\/td>\n $125,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of North Dakota\n <\/td>\n $60,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n The Ohio State University\n <\/td>\n $124,996\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

High-Bypass UAS Engine Ingestion Test<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Inclusion of large numbers of small Unmanned Aircraft\nSystems (sUAS) into the NAS may pose unique hazards to manned aircraft. It is\nnecessary to determine the potential severity of sUAS mid-air collisions with\nmanned aircraft to define an Equivalent Level of Safety for UAS operations.\nSince sUAS are not similar to any other foreign body (e.g. bird, ice, volcanic\nash) that the FAA currently regulates, understanding the severity of an\ningestion is critical to being able to estimate the extent of potential damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n The Ohio State University \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $340,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Wichita State University\n <\/td>\n $100,000\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Small UAS (sUAS) Mid-Air Collision (MAC) Likelihood<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 This research focuses on sUAS MAC likelihood analysis\nwith general aviation (GA) and commercial aircraft. Because severity research\nvaries based on where a collision occurred on a manned aircraft, this\nlikelihood research will not only look at the probability of a MAC, but also\nthe likelihood of colliding with different parts of a manned aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Wichita State University \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $464,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Kansas State University\n <\/td>\n $220,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University\n <\/td>\n $215,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of Kansas\n <\/td>\n $160,000\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Mitigating GPS and Automatic Dependent\nSurveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Risks for UAS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 This research is necessary to enable safe and secure\nautomated sUAS navigation and safe and secure automated sUAS Detect and Avoid\noperations. Unvalidated or unavailable GPS and \u201cADS-B In\u201d data poses security\nand safety risks to automated UAS navigation and to Detect and Avoid\noperations. Erroneous, spoofed, jammed, or drop outs of GPS data may result in\nunmanned aircraft position and navigation being incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n University of North Dakota \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $325,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Kansas State University\n <\/td>\n $135,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University\n <\/td>\n $135,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Oregon State University\n <\/td>\n $100,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n University of Alaska, Fairbanks\n <\/td>\n $135,000\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Shielded UAS Operations\u2013Detect and Avoid (DAA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research is intended to identify risks and recommend\nsolutions to the FAA that can enable shielded UAS operations such as a flight\nwithin close proximity to existing obstacles and not to exceed the height of\nthe obstacle. This effort will identify risks, determine whether shielded\noperations can be made safe, to what degree UAS Detect and Avoid requirements\ncan be reduced, and recommend UAS standoff distances from manned aircraft and\nground obstacles, including buildings and air traffic control towers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n University of North Dakota \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $430,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Kansas State University\n <\/td>\n $110,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University\n <\/td>\n $150,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n New Mexico State University\n <\/td>\n $140,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n North Carolina State University\n <\/td>\n $95,000\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Validation of Visual Operation Standards for Small UAS\n(sUAS)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research will measure Visual Observer (VO)\/Remote Pilot\n(RP) performance in avoiding other aircraft and hazards, identify and estimate\npotential failures, and inform recommendations for training standards. The\nresearch will help the FAA and industry consensus standards bodies, such as\nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), to better understand the\nsafety performance and challenges associated with VO\/RP visual line of sight\noperations to include Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS). Under EVLOS, the\nsmall unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is beyond the visual range of an observer\nbut any manned aircraft are still within visual detection range of the ground\nobserver. Research outcomes may also potentially inform recommendations for\nfuture regulatory updates to Part 107, the FAA’s Small UAS Rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Kansas State University \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $190,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Wichita State University\n <\/td>\n $120,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Mississippi State University\n <\/td>\n $70,000\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n New Mexico State University\n <\/td>\n $120,000\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

UAS Flight Data Research in support of Aviation Safety\nInformation and Sharing (ASIAS)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research will help pull together different flight data\nsources including high quality UAS flight data, commercial and general aviation\nflight data, and surveillance data. This data will be utilized to enhance the\ndevelopment of safety case analyses for NAS stakeholders (e.g. operators,\nregulators, and certification authorities) and to support the approval of new\nUAS operations in the NAS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n University of North Dakota \u2013 Lead University\n <\/td>\n $393,693\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University\n <\/td>\n $75,569\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced $5.8 million in research, education and training grants to universities that comprise FAA\u2019s Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). \u201cThese universities are making great strides in advancing the Department\u2019s efforts to integrate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,127],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aviation-education","category-unmanned-systems"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17426"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17427,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17426\/revisions\/17427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}