University’s airport provides testbed for unmanned aerial systems

As part of an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) collaboration agreement inked in July 2014, The Ohio State University and Sinclair Community College recently acquired FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA) to operate UAS at the university’s airport in northwest Columbus.

The first UAS flights by Sinclair and Ohio State successfully took place on November 20. According to Ohio State Engineering Professor Jim Gregory, UAS operations will resume in the spring with specific dates to be determined.

The flights at The Ohio State University Airport will focus primarily on identifying operational UAS challenges in an airport environment and developing guidelines emphasizing safety. Flight testing and operations also will benefit research on the role of UAS in precision agriculture. 

“Over time, unmanned aircraft will need to be safely and efficiently integrated into our airspace system,” said Airport Director Doug Hammon. “Manned and unmanned aircraft must be operated in a cooperative manner.”

In May 2015, Ohio State became a core member of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The center, referred to as ASSURE, is comprised of 22 of the world's leading research institutions and more than 100 government and industry partners. Mississippi State University leads this alliance of UAS experts.