Civilian drones could be tested in New Jersey skies
MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY DECEMBER 30, 2013, 10:20 PM
BY HERB JACKSON
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
THE RECORD
A bombing range in the Pinelands in southern New Jersey and airspace over the Atlantic Ocean could be part of a nationwide effort to develop guidelines for using unmanned aerial drones in civilian life.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday picked a proposal using those test sites, developed by Rutgers University, Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, as one of six projects around the country that will oversee “critical research.”
Drones have been used mainly by the military for spying and rocket strikes in areas where manned aircraft would pose a risk to those personnel, but some have questioned the morality of remote-control warfare. Civilian uses range from package delivery to environmental testing to crop dusting, but raise other issues, including privacy, terrorist attacks or the danger to those on the ground if two drones crash.
Today, drone use is tightly restricted, with operators such as researchers or police needing waivers from airspace regulations. Congress last year told the FAA to develop operational guidelines to streamline the process by the end of 2015.
Problems researchers must tackle include standards for crash avoidance, integration with air traffic control systems, and safe operation when aircraft lose contact with operators. The Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, which includes Rutgers, will conduct “failure mode testing and identify and evaluate operational and technical risk areas,” according to an FAA news release.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_Pinelands_site_could_be_part_of_drone_aircraft_research.html#sthash.5qQCmRBz.dpuf