FAA awards $12m to support safe drone integration

The funding covers 19 projects spanning technologies including satellite communications, drone identity verification, surveillance and detect-and-avoid systems.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is providing $12 million for 19 drone research and testing projects intended to support the safe integration of unmanned aircraft into the US national airspace system.

The projects, disclosed by the FAA on 5 October, cover various aspects of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology, ranging from satellite communications and surveillance tools for long-range drone flights to secure systems for verifying drone identity and flight authorisations.

The awards were made through the FAA’s ongoing UAS Broad Agency Announcement programme, under which companies partner with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites to evaluate technologies intended to advance safe drone integration.

The FAA has nine designated UAS Test Sites across the US: in Alaska, Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.

The latest awards also support the “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on 6 June 2025, which aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of drones in the US.

ANRA Technologies is involved in four projects under the programme. One involves developing tools to connect air taxi operations, vertiports and flight procedures, while another aims to provide drones with a common altitude reference. A third project involves connecting drone traffic-management systems with traditional air traffic systems at airports. The fourth centres on developing AI tools to identify types of drones.

Other funding recipients include Skydweller Aero and General Atomics, which both have projects focused on systems designed to help unmanned aircraft avoid other aircraft. Skydweller’s project deals with onboard systems, while General Atomics’ project involves ground systems.

“The research supported through this programme will give us better data, help us identify and understand operational challenges, and inform how we safely integrate these aircraft into the national airspace system,” says FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

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