The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced August 21, 2020, that it plans to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft. The effort will be part of the agency’s Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detection and Mitigation Research Program.

The FAA plans to test and evaluate at least 10 technologies or systems. The evaluations are expected to begin later this year and will initially occur at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center, located adjacent to the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.

After the initial testing and evaluation in New Jersey, the agency expects to expand the effort to four additional U.S. airports.

Interested manufacturers, vendors, and integrators of drone detection and/or mitigation technologies/systems have until October 5, 2020 to respond to the FAA’s announcement.

Airport operators interested in hosting this test and evaluation effort should respond to the FAA’s solicitation before October 22, 2020.  

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 requires the agency to ensure that technologies used to detect or mitigate potential risks posed by unmanned aircraft do not interfere with safe airport operations.