UAS Airport 

Applications 

Research Update 

Presented to: 

By: 

Date: 

REDAC Sub-Committee 

Mike DiPilato: 

FAA Airport Safety R&D 

Section 

March 2, 2021 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 
 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

UAS Airport Applications 

Five Core Applications: 

1. Obstruction Analysis 

2. Pavement Inspections 

3. Wildlife Hazard Management 

4. Perimeter Security Inspections 

5. Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) 

The FAA is Considering Adding Additional 

Applications to their Research Portfolio 

3 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstruction Analysis 

• Conducted testing at four 

airports: 

1. McCormick County Airport 

(KS19), SC 

2. Cape May County Airport 

(KWWD), NJ 

3. Granbury Regional Airport 

(KGDJ), TX 

4. Weather Perry-Foley Airport 

(KFPY), FL 

• Testing Scheduled for the 

following airports: 

1. Cincinnati West Airport (I67), OH 

–March 2021 

2. Lanai Airport (PHNY), HI – Full 

Aeronautical Survey 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

3 
 

 

 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Obstruction Analysis 

• ATO SRM Panel hosted 

earlier this month with 

FAA LOBs and 

stakeholders to look at 

planned obstruction 

analysis using UAS at 

Lanai, HI (PHNY), a Part 

139 Airport. 

– Full aeronautical survey 

will compare UAS 

collected data to data 

collected by manned 

aircraft in late 2020. 

4 
 

 

 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Pavement Inspections 

• Conducted initial testing at: 

– Cape May County Airport 

(WWD), NJ 

– Grosse Ile Municipal Airport 

(ONZ), MI 

• UAS data will be compared to 

data collected via ‘foot-onground’ and digital survey 

vehicle (DSV) 

• The research team is planning 

to conduct testing at several 

other airports in the 

spring/summer of 2021 with 

various pavement 

types/distresses/severities 

5 
 

 

 

 

 

Wildlife Hazard Management 

• In collaboration with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture – Wildlife Services, the FAA is examining 

bird responses to various UAS platforms (i.e., fixed 

wing, quadcopter, ornithopter). 

• Conducted testing in both controlled and freeranging environments (off airport): 

– Published peer reviewed journal article in March 2020 with 

initial findings. 

– Planning to publish second peer reviewed journal in CY 21. 

– Testing is planned in collaboration with the USDA State 

Program in Illinois and New York in CY 21 

• Initiated UAS wildlife monitoring study with USDA 

and Mississippi State University in early FY 21. 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

6 
 

 

 

 

 

Perimeter Security 

• Completed Initial testing 

a Cape May completed – 

testing focused on fence 

line inspections and 

surveillance. 

• Research team is 

planning to conduct 

testing at McGhee Tyson 

Airport, TN and DFW in 

the spring of 2021. 

Tree 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

7 
 

 

 

 

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting 

Ground Level View 

Elevated View (Crane Operator) 

• Two focus areas: 

1. Improved Situational Awareness and 

Decision Making 

2. Post Incident/Accident Investigation 

• There are plans to test at ACY in 

March 2021 and DFW’s Fire 

Training Research Center in the 

spring of 2021. 

• There are plans to test and 

evaluate tethered and ‘free 

flying’ systems 

• The research team is 

collaborating with NTSB on the 

post incident/accident 

investigation. 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

8 
 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Questions ? 

Mike DiPilato 

Airport Research Specialist 

FAA Airport Safety R&D Section 

Michael.DiPilato@faa.gov 

9