NASA’s Air Traffic Control System for Drones Nearing Completion

By Sarah White
Aug 15, 2019 2:41 PMDec 23, 2019 12:32 AM
Drones - Shutterstock
Increasing numbers of drones in urban areas means air traffic control is needed. (Credit: Volodymyr Goinyk/Shutterstock)

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Highways in the sky are one step closer to becoming reality as NASA conducts the final planned tests of its traffic management system for unmanned drones in Corpus Christi, Texas this week. The system would act like air traffic control for drones, tracking them to help avoid collisions and ensure smooth flight paths.

Testing the cloud-based system’s capabilities in windy urban areas like Corpus Christi is one of the biggest remaining obstacles before drone traffic oversight can be transferred from the aeronautics division of NASA to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).

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