Partners with Oklahoma
State University to develop safe uncrewed aircraft traffic
management capabilities
OKLAHOMA
CITY, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vigilant
Aerospace Systems, the leading developer of multi-sensor airspace
management and collision avoidance software for drones and advanced
air mobility, has been awarded a $500,000 grant as part of a nearly $1 million project to work with the Oklahoma
Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) at
Oklahoma State University to develop a
distributed version of its detect-and-avoid system.
The grant is provided by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement
of Science and Technology (OCAST). Vigilant Aerospace also won an
OCAST grant in 2019 to work with OSU integrating new radars into
its collision avoidance system.
The project addresses the challenges posed by the increasing
number of uncrewed aircraft operating in the National Airspace
System, including inspection and delivery drones, first responder
drones, and larger air taxi and cargo drones. While these
autonomous vehicles offer significant societal and economic
benefits, they require new airspace management paradigms to ensure
safe integration into the existing airspace and air traffic.
Vigilant Aerospace provides the software and networked sensors
and radars to allow uncrewed aircraft to safely fly long distances
and beyond the visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) of the pilot – which is
essential to enabling the next generation of aviation.
"Vigilant Aerospace is an industry leader developing crucial
technology for aviation safety right here in Oklahoma," said Dr. Jamey Jacob, OAIRE executive director. "The
ability for drones and larger autonomous vehicles to detect and
avoid collisions with other aircraft is critical for the future of
aviation and for multiple efforts throughout the nation. Projects
like this keep Oklahoma at the
forefront of the industry, while supporting innovative local
businesses. This initiative has far-reaching impact as a wide range
of autonomous aircraft take to the air."
The OCAST grant is provided through its highly competitive
Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS) program, which supports
businesses developing innovations and technologies that create new
jobs and diversify Oklahoma's
economy.
The project also received support from the US Economic
Development Administration (EDA) as part of the $38.2 million Build Back Better grant awarded to
a Tulsa-based coalition to support
new aerospace initiatives in Oklahoma. Projects include the Skyway Range
Flight Corridor, a 114 nautical mile drone corridor and one of the
most ambitious advanced air mobility projects in the nation. The
new corridor serves as the perfect platform for Vigilant's
distributed airspace management system to enable true BVLOS
flight.
"Working with OSU helps to speed our R&D and provide the
Skyway Range Flight Corridor with the most advanced airspace
management system in the nation," said Kraettli L. Epperson, CEO of
Vigilant Aerospace. "It's an excellent example of public-private
co-operation to fast-track this high-potential technology both in
the region and beyond. We are grateful to our sponsors at OCAST and
the EDA for their support and are excited to work with our partners
at OSU with their exceptional capabilities and resources."
OSU and OAIRE support the project with unique capabilities
including research engineers, pilots and subject matter experts,
test aircraft, flights at the OSU Unmanned Aircraft Flight Station
near Stillwater, and special
research waivers from the FAA.
"Oklahoma continues to be a
hotbed of innovation in autonomous flight, with a number of
research institutions in the state already supporting this growth,"
said Jennifer McGrail, Executive Director of
OCAST. "This grant award brings together research and
industry, helps to support innovation in the state and
diversification of our economy. We look for ground-breaking
initiatives, with potentially broad industry impact, and Vigilant
Aerospace's proposal fit that description."
About OCAST
The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology
(OCAST) is the state's agency for technology-based economic
development efforts within Oklahoma. It provides resources and
contract-based funding aimed at increasing economic development and
revenue generation for growing technology companies within the
state, leading to new businesses, job growth, higher wages, and an
improved quality of life for Oklahomans.
https://oklahoma.gov/ocast/about-ocast.html
About the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research
and Education at Oklahoma State
University
OAIRE is leading the way in Advanced Air
Mobility, which will revolutionize the use of autonomous aircraft
including drones in more universal ways such as daily
transportation for people and goods. OSU — as part of the Tulsa
Regional Advanced Mobility Cluster — will help create the next
intersection point between aerospace and intelligence by furthering
uncrewed technology and urban air mobility. Through
state-of-the-art research and groundbreaking discoveries, OSU
continues to build the future of aerospace and invest in the future
of Oklahoma.
https://go.okstate.edu/aerospace/
About Vigilant Aerospace Systems
Vigilant Aerospace is
the leading developer of multi-sensor detect-and-avoid and airspace
management software for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones).
Customers include NASA, the FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense and
a variety of drone development programs.
https://vigilantaerospace.com/
Contacts:
Vigilant Aerospace
377500@email4pr.com
P: 405-445-7224
Follow us on LinkedIn: @vigilantaero
Oklahoma State
University
Shannon
Rigsby, Associate Director of Public Information
377500@email4pr.com
P: 405-744-9081
OCAST
Jennifer McGrail,
Executive Director
377500@email4pr.com
P: 405-319-8400
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SOURCE Vigilant Aerospace