Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) announced this week that Mississippi State University will host the nation’s top civilian academic institution for research and policy-writing related to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx informed Harper of the news late last week.
The decision was the result of more than four years of legislative efforts by a bipartisan contingent led by Harper and Mississippi’s Republican Sens. Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran, working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“I am pleased that the Federal Aviation Administration has selected Mississippi State University to operate a new National Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” Harper said. “While Unmanned Aircraft Systems technology is no longer in its infancy, we are still just scratching the surface on what can be accomplished with these capabilities. This is a tremendous opportunity for Mississippi State and simply a preview of what Mississippi has to offer. I applaud the incredible work by Mississippi State and Senators Cochran and Wicker on making this a reality.”
Being selected as the host location, The
Mississippi State University
Alliance for System Safety of UAS Through Research Excellence (ASSURE), will create a consortium of universities across the country working to identify issues that are related to the clean and safe integration of UAS into America’s airspace. The center will also engage in deep research and policy development as the use of unmanned aircraft continues to expand over the next several years.
Congress directed the FAA to select a host for such a center that is equipped to conduct the research necessary to facilitate the deployment of UAS for emergency response, law enforcement, maritime contingencies, clean fuel technologies and for agricultural and environmental monitoring. To that end, the center will lead research and development activities with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies.
“Mississippi State University and our state have a wonderful opportunity to use their research expertise and unique facilities to advance and influence all aspects of the unmanned aerial sector, from national policies to deployment to manufacturing,” Cochran, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said. “Unmanned systems are here to stay and this national center will help ensure that they are used to improve American security and productivity, while protecting privacy. I commend Mississippi State for its diligence and expertise as a major research institute in putting together a team that can accomplish these goals.”
Other ASSURE member institutions include Drexel University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Kansas State University, Montana State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, the University of Alabama-Huntsville, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the University of Kansas, the University of North Dakota and Wichita State University. Associate members are Auburn University, Concordia, Indiana State University, Louisiana Tech University, Tuskegee University and the University of Southampton.
“Mississippi is on the cutting edge of unmanned aircraft technologies,” Wicker said. “We are home to some of the world’s leading aerospace companies and research universities. In the field of unmanned aircraft systems, Mississippi State University is second to none. Today’s announcement ensures that our state will continue to be a critical hub for advancing aerial technologies, which can help improve our ability to grow crops more efficiently, respond to humanitarian crises, and better protect our troops.”