Feds Pick Texas As One of Six Drone Testing Sites

By Emily DonahueDecember 30, 2013 4:36 pm

Update 12/30/13: The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Texas A&M – Corpus Christi as one of six drone testing sites across the U.S. The FAA says the Corpus Christi site “plans to develop system safety requirements for UAS vehicles and operations with a goal of protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing.”

Sites in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota and Virginia were also chosen.

Hear more about A&M’s drone plans in the interview below.

Original story 10/09/13: From Manhattan to Afghanistan, drones have become big news and big business. Now, there’s a move to turn the skies over Texas into one of the world’s leading drone test sites.

KUT’s David Brown talks with Ron George, a senior research development officer at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi , and one of the planners of a new drone development center.

One proposal that a portion of Texas become a test site for unmanned aircraft systems testing, certification and research. He’s suggesting South Texas and Big Bend, because they have the clearest airspace over the least populated areas.