NAAA Endorses Raspet Flight Research Laboratory's Continued Efforts to Collect GPS Data Protecting Manned Ag Aircraft from Drones

摘要

Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Labora-tory is continuing its research study on safe operational distances between low-altitude, manned aircraft and drones. MSU Raspet is now beginning the second stage of GPS flight log data collection from manned agricultural aircraft. Many aerial applicators may have donated GPS flight log data during the first stage of data collection from 2017 to 2020. This second stage of GPS flight log data collection is critical to continue MSU Raspet's ongoing research. Methods for GPS flight log data deliveries remain the same as the first stage.This effort is supported and encouraged by the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) because MSU Raspet's objective is to understand, model and predict manned ag aircraft in order to educate drone operators and promote safe, responsible drone flight in ag environments. Madison Dixon, the MSU aviation program manager, reported on the progress of the first study at the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo. Over a period spanning three years, NAAA members donated 49,180 flight logs in 20 different states. Some information calculated from the data includes an average ag aircraft application speed of 139 mph and an average ferrying speed of 132.8 mph.