WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced it awarded $12 million to 19 companies for drone research and testing projects that will help safely expand drone operations in the National Airspace System.

These awards were made through the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Program. The program funds companies working with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites to test and evaluate technologies that support safe drone integration.

The awards advance the Unleashing American Drone Dominance Executive Order by supporting the full use of FAA UAS Test Sites to develop, test, and scale American drone technologies. 

“The UAS Broad Agency Announcement Program gives us another way to directly work with industry and our test site partners on technologies that are critical to safe drone integration,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “The research supported through this program will give us better data, help us identify and understand operational challenges, and inform how we safely integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System.”

Companies and projects under the program include:

1. General Atomics — ground systems to help drones avoid other aircraft
2. NAVMAR — systems to help large drones fly safely
3. SPS Aerial Remote Sensing — a test of drone visibility technology
4. ANRA Technologies — tools to connect air taxi operations, vertiports, and flight procedures
5. Devorto Corporation — long-range cargo drone service
6. ANRA Technologies — tools to give drones a common altitude reference
7. DroneUp LLC — a secure way to verify drone identity and approval to fly
8. SPS Aerial Remote Sensing — a sensor system for drone traffic management and counter-drone operations
9. SPS Aerial Remote Sensing — tools to measure sensor performance
10. OneRadio Corporation — testing passive radar to help drones avoid other aircraft
11. Censys Technologies Corp — testing satellite communications for long-range drone flights
12. Frequentis USA — a drone technology demonstration
13. ANRA Technologies — tools to connect drone traffic systems with traditional air traffic systems at airports
14. ANRA Technologies — AI tools to identify different types of drones
15. Skydweller — onboard systems to help large drones avoid other aircraft
16. Aerial Vantage — tools to manage reserved airspace for drones in cities
17. Lighthouse Avionics Inc. — surveillance tools for long-range drone routes
18. ResilienX, Inc. — software to coordinate drone missions and resources
19. Oklahoma State University — drone visibility technology under the Aero Aware project

There are currently nine FAA-designated UAS Test Sites:

• Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration, Alaska
• Northern Plains UAS Test Site, North Dakota
• New Mexico State University UAS Test Site, New Mexico
• State of Nevada UAS Test Site, Nevada
• New York UAS Test Site, New York
• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Autonomy Research Institute, Texas
• Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, Virginia
• Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana

More information is available on the FAA’s UAS Broad Agency Announcement Program webpage.