Engineers from NASA and Rockwell Collins tested communications between unmanned aerial systems and control tower personnel during a trial held at the Eastern Iowa Airport last week.Rockwell Collins and NASA are collaborating to build a communications system intended to facilitate drones’ safe integration into U.S. airspace, the company said Wednesday.
“We tested at different altitudes, different frequencies and through different modes of operation,†said John Moore, Rockwell Collins principal systems engineer.
“We wanted to see if the system operated as we expected it to,” Moore added. We’re happy to say things went very well.â€
Tests involved the use of a data link waveform, which is also designed to serve as a resource for the government and industry as they craft drone guidelines.
The Federal Aviation Administration is slated to issue a technical standard order for drones in 2017.
