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Boeing Teams Up With UNR To Improve Drone Data Gathering

University of Nevada, Reno NAASIC

A partnership between The Boeing Company’s unmanned aircraft systems design team, Insitu, and the University of Nevada, Reno could help improve the way drones fly. Reno Public Radio’s Marcus Lavergne has more.

UNR’sNevada Advanced Autonomous Systems Innovation Centerwants to change the way drones and their pilots gather and use information. 

Warren Rapp, NAASIC’s business development director, says Insitu’s UAV ground control station can help flight missions go more smoothly in the future. 
 
“One of the things that came about, is how do you manage the data that comes from them?” Rapp said, “Not just in emergency scenarios but in any type of scenario.” 
 
The Inexa Control system can transmit weather data, terrain information and more to drones, which can be used for operations and everyday flying. NAASIC and the College of Engineering are currently working to bring it to UNR. 
 
“Once incorporated, this will help us in our management working with NASA right now," Rapp says, "And helping the FAA figure out the UAV traffic management system."
 
Rapp says the university will become the only public institute in the US to offer this kind of course. Students will be able to enroll next spring.

Marcus Lavergne is a former on-air host at KUNR Public Radio.
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