Virginia Tech is one of six sites that will test drones as part of push to integrate them into the nation’s airspace in the next few years.
The Federal Aviation Administration selected 6 public entities to test unmanned aerial vehicles, known as drones. Virginia Tech will look at safety, from technical risks, to other potential failures in the remotely piloted planes.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta says the testing program will explore a broad range of current and potential uses for drones, from military and research, to commercial and other applications. He also acknowledged the public’s concern about privacy.
"The public will be able to respond this and we with our federal colleagues are engaged in interagency efforts to continue to look at privacy and determine if there are other things that the government as a whole needs to consider," said Huerta.
The new testing phase of drone research is part of a plan approved by Congress to phase them in, beginning in 2015.
