Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
NASA, FAA Test Sites Conduct Largest Drone Management Test
All six FAA-sponsored unmanned aircraft system test ranges participated in the demonstration of NASA's UAS Traffic Management system.
A researcher with Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center readies a quadcopter for demonstration. (Photo: Lone Star UAS Center)
A researcher with Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center readies a quadcopter for demonstration. (Photo: Lone Star UAS Center)

NASA conducted the most extensive field test to date under its UAS traffic management (UTM) effort to develop a system to manage low-flying drone traffic. The test on April 19 demonstrated simultaneous operation of multiple drones at six Federal Aviation Administration-sponsored ranges nationwide. It was the first multi-state test of the NASA UTM platform and the first coordinated test involving all six FAA ranges.