FAA puts $12 million behind 19 drone research projects

The FAA is putting more money into the technologies it believes could help drones safely become a bigger part of the US airspace. The agency has announced $12 million in awards for 19 companies and organizations working on drone research and testing projects. The funding comes through the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Program, which supports commercial entities working with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites.

The goal is fairly straightforward: test the technology in real-world conditions, collect better data, and figure out what still needs to be solved before more drones can routinely share the National Airspace System with airplanes and other aircraft.

“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,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford explains. The research, he adds, will help the agency identify operational challenges and inform how drones can be safely integrated into the national airspace.

The projects cover a surprisingly broad range of problems. General Atomics and OneRadio are working on technologies designed to help drones detect and avoid other aircraft, while Skydweller is developing onboard systems for large drones to perform similar functions. NAVMAR is also working on systems intended to support the safe operation of larger drones.

Long-distance drone operations are another major theme. Censys Technologies will test satellite communications for long-range flights, while Lighthouse Avionics is working on surveillance technology for extended drone routes. Devorto Corporation, meanwhile, is tackling the practical side of long-range cargo drone services.

Several projects focus on knowing exactly what is flying and where.

DroneUp is developing a secure method for verifying a drone’s identity and whether it has authorization to fly. SPS Aerial Remote Sensing has multiple projects involving drone visibility, traffic management and counter-drone applications, as well as tools for measuring sensor performance.

ANRA Technologies has four projects on the list, covering everything from connecting air taxi operations with vertiports and flight procedures to establishing a common altitude reference for drones. Other ANRA work will look at connecting drone traffic management systems with conventional air traffic systems at airports and using AI to identify different types of drones.

There are also projects focused on managing increasingly complex drone operations. Aerial Vantage is developing tools for managing reserved drone airspace in cities, while ResilienX is working on software to coordinate drone missions and resources. Frequentis USA will conduct a drone technology demonstration.

Oklahoma State University is also receiving funding for drone visibility technology through its Aero Aware project.

The projects will be conducted through the FAA’s network of designated UAS Test Sites. There are currently nine across the country, located in Alaska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma and Indiana.

The funding also ties into the broader push outlined in the Unleashing American Drone Dominance executive order, which calls for greater use of US drone test sites to develop and scale American drone technologies.

There’s a bigger policy reason behind the investment, too. Section 925 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorized $6 million annually from fiscal years 2025 through 2028 for matching funds supporting commercial UAS demonstrations and validation at designated test ranges.

In other words, the FAA isn’t simply handing out grants for drones to fly around. It’s paying to test some of the infrastructure and safety systems that could determine how far commercial drone operations can eventually expand.

That could become increasingly important as the US looks toward more drone deliveries, long-range autonomous flights, air taxis, and other operations that will require drones to safely coexist with traditional aviation.

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