The FAA announced plans on Monday to evaluate at least 10 drone mitigation technologies/systems at its William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The effort is part of the FAA’s Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detection and Mitigation Research Program. After the initial testing and evaluation in Atlantic City, the agency expects to expand the effort to four additional U.S. airports.
Those selections will be made at a later date. Interested manufacturers, vendors, and integrators of drone detection and/or mitigation technologies/systems will have 45 days to respond to the FAA’s announcement.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 requires the FAA to work with heads of the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and other relevant federal agencies to “ensure that technologies/systems that are developed, tested, or deployed by federal departments and agencies to detect and/or mitigate potential risks posed by errant or hostile UAS operations do not adversely impact or interfere with safe airport operations, navigation, air traffic services, or the safe and efficient operation of the National Airspace System (NAS).” The Act also requires the FAA to develop a plan for the certification, permitting, authorizing, or allowing of UAS detection and mitigation technologies/systems in the NAS.