NIAR, K-State researching how environmental factors affect drones

The National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State is participating in a study with Kansas State University that focuses on minimizing risk of the operation of unmanned aerial systems in the national airspace.

Researchers from NIAR and KSU’s Applied Aviation Research Center on the Salina campus recently conducted radiated susceptibility testing on a gasoline-powered, fixed-wing aircraft weighing 50 pounds with an 11-foot wingspan in a NIAR lab.

The testing was to determine whether the vehicle’s electronic systems would operate as intended when it is exposed to radio frequency, including signals emitting from broadcasting antennas and radio stations.

NIAR said it is supporting K-State research in environmental effects on UAS including electromagnetic susceptibility, vibration and temperature variation.

“The goal is to have a useful set of standards that benefits the UAS industry,” Tom Aldag, NIAR’s research and development director, said in the release.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 11:12 AM with the headline "NIAR, K-State researching how environmental factors affect drones."