Thales, NASA work together to develop UTM system for NAS drone integration
NewsMarch 29, 2018
ARLINGTON, Va. Thales officials signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to support development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) concepts, which will allow Thales to engage with NASA to refine the UTM concept architecture supporting drone integration into the U.S. National Air Space (NAS).
Under this agreement, Thales will collaborate with NASA for the research, development, testing, and evaluation of low-altitude airspace control of UAS operating at or below 400 feet. To support NASA’s milestones for developing UTM, Thales will engage with industry and government stakeholders to share expertise, concepts and perspectives on the integration of unmanned systems. The agreement also includes further cooperation with existing Technology Capability Level activities being conducted by NASA.
NASA, the FAA, and its partners including Thales, are working to extend the beneficial and innovative applications of small UAS, while respecting long-standing traditions of safety. This framework agreement allows Thales to engage with NASA on a technical and program level to continue to establish UTM in the United States, and allows Thales to leverage its global expertise in UTM. Thales will support NASA’s goal to develop a UTM concept that can be transferred to the FAA in 2019 for deployment in the NAS. With the ongoing support of federal, state, and local government officials, and economic development organizations, Thales will be creating jobs in New York through this agreement.
Thales is already working with other NASA partners at the FAA’s New York Test Site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, NY, and will be deploying technologies in support of NASA initiatives. Through existing agreements with Syracuse University, Griffiss International Airport, CenterState CEO, Empire State Development and the NUAIR Alliance, Thales is supporting the development of UTM in New York including integration and monitoring of the FAA’s System Wide Information Management (SWIM) capabilities.
Thales also continues to work with the FAA on the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) program for small unmanned aerial system integration.
