The Federal Aviation Administration picked eight Air Force remotely piloted aircraft pilots to study detect and avoid displays for unmanned aircraft. The pilots, assigned to the 111th Attack Wing of the Pennsylvania National Guard, have been testing the systems at an FAA center in New Jersey, according to a Guard release. The study is focused on developing detect and avoid displays to help further integrate drones into the national airspace. The FAA wants to develop the “minimum information requirements” for displays to keep drones clear of other aircraft, said Kevin Williams, a research psychologist with the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. The pilots fly the MQ-9 Reaper, which could be helpful in assisting local agencies by supporting wildfire response or finding stranded people, a Reaper pilot said in the release. The testing began in January and will wrap up on Friday.
The Air Force on Jan. 6 released nearly a dozen photos of F-22 and F-35 fighters returning to Puerto Rico after supporting the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—the first official images of forces who participated in Operation Absolute Resolve.
