Fearless Flight: The UMD UAS Test Site
July 20, 2021 | AUVSI News
The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site at the University of Maryland (UMD) is a leader in supporting UAS regulations, commercialization, and airspace integration to accelerate the safe, responsible deployment of UAS, commonly known as drones. AUVSI connected with the test site’s leadership to learn more about their work and the capabilities being developed for private and public sectors.
Advancing UAS Innovation and Integration
Foremost, the UMD UAS Test Site participates in the development and testing of key capabilities that will drive the future of drone flight, including detect and avoid technology, beyond visual line of sight operations (BVLOS), swarm operations, unmanned urban air mobility, and multi-domain research. The site offers special Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorizations for research and test activities that make it possible to conduct operations beyond the civilian allowances granted under Part 107 guidelines. These on-demand research operations are critical to the ongoing deployment and integration of advanced technologies in the national airspace, making the UMD UAS Test Site a key player in integration between manned and unmanned aircraft and the cross-domain integration between systems in the air, at sea, and on land. The test site is also involved in the establishment of the Chesapeake UAS Route Network, in which stakeholders aim to develop a UAS-navigable network of routes around the Chesapeake Bay that will allow for routine advanced UAS operations, like BVLOS and flights over people, without requiring FAA waivers or exemptions. The multi-year, multi-phase project is being conducted in lockstep with the FAA and will draw on existing and anticipated regulations, as well as technologies available today that significantly mitigate safety risks to people and property.
Serving Civil and Commercial Industries
The test site works with other organizations and companies – both commercial and civil – to get their systems airborne and to integrate sensors and capabilities onto an aircraft. In the commercial sector, the site collaborates with both small startup companies and recognized industry giants. In the government and defense sectors, customers include the U.S. Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Across private and public customers, the UMD UAS Test Site focuses on UAS applications that support public service. Previous work includes disaster surveying after hurricanes in the Bahamas, wildfire and urban fire management, and even the first delivery of a human organ by drone in 2019. Conducted alongside the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), the test site made history when drone operators successfully delivered a kidney for transplant in the Baltimore, MD area. Given its affiliation with the School of Engineering at UMD College Park, academics are also a focus at the test site. The site’s work in training drone operators, cultivating the next generation of engineers, and supporting the diversification of Maryland’s workforce demonstrates the immense value the UAS industry can bring to the communities where these organizations operate. Ethan Aus, an intern at the test site, described the value of learning to assist the test site’s operations department with daily execution of flight research projects:
“The UAS Test Site gives interns not only real-world experience but most importantly hands-on experience on UAS. From aircraft design and avionics wiring to exposing interns to the current and future usage of UAS in many industries, the test site made me feel much more prepared for a future career both from an engineering perspective and a business perspective.”
Fostering Strong Public and Government Relationships
Since the test site’s first day in operation, the site’s leadership has been committed to conducting effective outreach with policymakers and the public, which has resulted in strong relationships built on trust. Matt Scassero, Director of the test site, emphasized the importance his team places on educating the public about unmanned systems. When testing a new capability or operating in a new area, the site conducts a public outreach campaign, answer people’s questions, and provides clear information about privacy and data protections. While it is not one of the eight BEYOND sites established by the FAA, the UMD UAS Test Site is one of only a handful of institutions across the country that works directly with the agency to advance UAS research and demonstrate operational capabilities, with the ultimate objective of seamlessly integrating UAS into the national airspace. With this collaboration, capabilities tested at the site are used as evidence to support UAS regulations and standards. The site’s leadership has also built trust with state regulators and legislators. In 2015, the State of Maryland’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Development, Regulation and Privacy Act was written in collaboration with the test site and supported by the UAS industry. Delegate Brian Crosby, a Democrat from District 29B said the following:
“The UMD UAS Test Site is the lynchpin to Maryland’s technology corridor, and estimates suggest that Unmanned Aircraft Systems could generate $82 billion dollars for the U.S. economy and add more than 100,000 new jobs over the next decade. This site is vital to ensuring that our state will continue to lead in the field of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. We have seen just some of the incredible R&D advancements in UAS delivery of organs to be utilized in transplants, and this is just one of many great innovations that could be achieved in this field. These types of quick and essential missions will be the backbone of future economies. Without this critical research and development at UMD UAS Test Site we could potentially see outsourcing of these costs in the future.”
Getting Involved
XPONENTIAL 2021 virtual attendees can revisit the event platform to watch, on-demand, a panel discussion about the Chesapeake UAS Route Network, and in-person attendees can visit the UMD UAS Test Site as part of the Maryland Unmanned booth 2309 at the XPO Hall in Atlanta. Students can visit their website to learn more about summer internships available at the UMD UAS Test Site.
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