Know Before You Fly has announced Virginia Tech is among 35 new supporters to the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) safety campaign.
“We are pleased to have the support of Virginia Tech, a leader in UAS research and development, and the many other organizations representing UAS training programs, manufacturers and research institutions,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). “Their commitment to Know Before You Fly is important for spreading the message about safe and responsible flying.”
In late 2013, Virginia Tech was named as one of six congressionally mandated UAS test sites to conduct important research to help safely integrate unmanned systems into the national airspace. Among many achievements in UAS R&D, scientists at Virginia Tech are using UAS to track the movement of dangerous microorganisms in the atmosphere, and save farmers millions of dollars by identifying the health of tobacco and corn crops with UAS technology.
“We look forward to working with Virginia Tech and many other organizations on UAS safety education as they continue to make great strides to develop new and safe ways to implement UAS technology in everyday use,” said Academy of Model Aeronautics president Bob Brown.
Know Before You Fly was launched in December 2014 by AUVSI and the Academy of Model Aeronautics in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration to provide newcomers to UAS with basic safety information. With the addition of Virginia Tech, there are now more than 80 retailers, manufacturers, and distributors of UAS, as well as organizations representing the manned aviation community, helping to promote the campaign.
