The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorised Nevada’s unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site to start operations, as part of a key research for integrating UAS into the country’s airspace.

On 30 December 2013, the FAA selected six congressionally mandated test sites. Nevada’s test site is the third of these sites to become operational.

The FAA has issued the team a two-year Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to use an Insitu ScanEagle at the Desert Rock Airport located in Mercury, Nevada.

"The UAS test sites will help us identify operational goals, as well as safety issues we must consider when expanding the use of unmanned aircraft into our airspace."

The ScanEagle will fly at or below 3,000ft, monitored by a visual observer and mission commander. Initially, the test flights will observe if a UAS can operate safely at the airport.

Transportation secretary Anthony Foxx said: "Nevada has been on the leading edge of aerospace flight testing for almost 70 years.

"Today, the state continues that tradition by contributing to the safe and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft into the US aviation system."

Research at Nevada will focus on UAS standards and operations, along with operator standards and certification requirements.

In addition, the site’s activities will include a concentrated look at how air traffic control procedures will evolve by introducing UAS into the civil environment, as well as how these jets will integrate with NextGen, the modernisation of the national airspace system.

FAA administrator Michael Huerta said: "The UAS test sites will help us identify operational goals, as well as safety issues we must consider when expanding the use of unmanned aircraft into our airspace."

The FAA is currently working with the test sites to guide their research programs to facilitate the safe integration of UAS into the national airspace over the next several years.

Defence Technology