WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Joint research projects between the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and three companies with technology that can identify and track drones will help keep the skies safe for airline passengers, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) said in a press release on Tuesday.
The three companies mentioned in the release are Gryphon Sensors, Liteye Systems Inc. and Sensofusion.
"The collaboration between these companies and the FAA is another example of government-industry cooperation and is an important step towards the safe integration of UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] into the national airspace," AUVSI President Brian Wynne stated.
Wynn was commenting on FAA research and development agreements with three US companies that are developing airport defenses against carelessly flown drones, a growing threat as hobbyists with limited experience embrace the remotely piloted toys.
A drone weighing 50 pounds or less can cause a commercial airline to crash on takeoff or landing, aviation officials say.
