On the leading edge of experimental flight research
STARKVILLE, Miss., (WCBI) — Have you ever wondered how authorities can tell if a generator is or isn’t working at a hospital during a storm? Or wondered how drones are utilized in other aspects? The Raspet Flight Research Lab at Mississippi State is on the leading edge of UAV technology.
Most people know drones for the aerial pictures and video that they can capture? Or when they’re used to locate a missing person or a fugitive. But did you know that drones have more features?
Bryan Farrell, Director of the Raspet Flight Research Lab at Mississippi State says most people only see drones one way, but there are many uses for the technology.
“People refer to drones or drone technology or autonomous systems as doing the dull, dangerous and dirty right? So, they’re there to support whatever mission it is and often times provides a perspective that we can’t have because we’re terrestrial. So, if you think about something like a search and rescue, right? Being able to go out and look for somebody missing in the woods with a thermal camera or something like that. You’re able to scan a lot further you’re able to get more information.”
He says another example is utility companies getting a bird’s eye view of broken poles and damages during a storm.
Farrell also talked about how drones can be used in military missions. Not only are they on the leading edge in this research, but they also help to draft the legislation — state and federal — and rules and regulations in use today.
Farrell says just to know he has a small part in that; it’s a little mind blowing.
“We’re very fortunate to have good academic partnerships, good industry, good government partnerships which all play their part in the necessary information to be able to move forward with these policies. Drone integration in the national airspace is not a simple thing. It’s a complex system and you run into a lot of different challenges. So, it takes a good group of researchers and great partners to be able to do that. So, we certainly don’t do it alone. We’re happy to contribute where we can.”
Farrell says that he’s traveling to Louisiana for another project with the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi and the oil industry where their research is playing a part.
