UAS Safety Area Surveys and Inspections

FAA’s Airport Technology Research & Development (ATR) branch conducted ground-based and UAS-based runway and taxiway safety area surveys at Groton-New London Airport (GON) on August 3-6, 2026 using multiple platforms, payloads, and test parameters, building on prior testing at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport (SGH), Cape May Airport (WWD), and Naples Airport (APF). This effort aims to assess the benefits and limitations of UAS technologies for safety area inspections and to develop technical and operational considerations, with one additional airport test planned to refine and validate the findings.

Joseph Healey | ANG-E263