Man I wish they'd had a program like this when I was a student there. Of course back then dinosaurs had just recently died out, so...
 
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi has been working with NASA in developing and testing hardware and software that will eventually make it possible for drones to become fully integrated into the nation's ATC system, thus increasing the situational awareness for everyone.

Nice program, hope it proves out and is beneficial to everyone.

Bill, didn't they have tracking collars on those dinosaurs?

Um, I doubt it. After all, they'd just become extinct a few years before I was a student in my leopard skin robes...

Hi Bill..

Did you ever see Raquel Welch about that time ?

I think it was about 1,000,000 yrs BC ?

(..For those wondering - she was in the movie 'One Million Years BC') :wub:

..Another Bill

Since the still image of the video was really unimpressive, I added a screen shot of their "control room" which looks to be pretty awesome. Lots of really expensive equipment there to play with, er... I mean use.

 

Although I'd have opted to be out in the field actually flying the single prop aircraft myself.

I think both are impressive. Definitely something we need now and in the future more so. The integration with ATC will be critical and it looks like that is a big part of it. Is there any target for when they would like to go "live"?

No target date that I'm aware of. I suspect it will be a few years yet, but it is something that is most definitely needed, particularly for "delivery drones" such as those Amazon is proposing, and other commercial drone usage such as news organizations, etc.

 

I don't see this technology appearing in the "hobby market" of course since the costs would be prohibitive at least initially.

This 100 Drone Synchronized Airshow Is The World's Largest, And Most Impressive - 2 Min 25 Sec

►This 100 Drone Synchronized Airshow Is The World's Largest, And Most Impressive

Drones have a lot of people worried about privacy, but they can be used for good as well as nefarious purposes. Take, for instance, a spectacular display of drone technology by Intel Corporation (USA) involving 100 small aircrafts being launched skywards in formation has earned a new Guinness World Record for the Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously. Controlled on the ground by a crew using PCs with Intel software, the mass of drones lit up the night sky in sync to a live performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and executed a stunning light show resembling a fireworks display. "Drone 100" took place at Flugplatz Ahrenlohe, Tornesch, Germany, in November 2015. The record was set in collaboration with Ars Electronica Futurelab to push the limits of the UAV industry and to show what UAVs can be used for.

Thanks for sharing that video clip! That was awesome!

 

I wish though that they'd have left the camera(s) focused on the drones. I really didn't need to seen the string section sawing away... :smile:

FAA Announces New Drone Committee

 

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Announces-New-Drone-Committee-226179-1.html