Virginia Tech FAA Drone Test Site Now Operational

A new drone test site at Virginia Tech is one of six nationwide that will conduct research to integrate the aircrafts into U.S. skies, the Federal Aviation administration announced Wednesday.

In December of last year, Virginia Tech was named one of six research sites that would test drones in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota and Texas. The FAA selected the sites based on geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, aviation experience and risk.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta were shown a demonstration Wednesday of a drone Virginia Tech plans to research to monitor vehicle and highway systems. Researchers also hope to integrate drones into agricultural spray equipment.

Drones are primarily used by the military since the FAA does not allow commercial use of the unmanned aircrafts, though the organization plans to develop operational guidelines for commercial drone use by the end of 2015.

The FAA predicts upward of 7,500 commercial drones could be operational within five years of establishing guidelines for drone use in American airspace. An industry-commissioned study predicted the move could create more than 70,000 jobs in the first three years paying between $85,000 and $115,000 per year.

The American Civil Liberties Union voiced concerns over drone use in 2011, calling for a system of rules to avoid becoming a “ surveillance society in which our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded, and scrutinized by the authorities.”

Image: Wikipedia (by Nicolas Halftermeyer)