Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Middle Tennessee State University unveiled a one-of-a-kind partnership with the U.S. Army that further solidifies its reputation as a premier spot in the nation for the study of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
The memorandum of understanding between the MTSU UAS program, part of the Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based university’s Department of Aerospace, and the Army’s UAS Program Office was announced yesterday as part of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International conference in Washington, D.C.
As part of the exchange, the Army has shown particular interest in MTSU's UAS educational and research efforts and will explore possibilities to loan three Raven UAS and two control stations from the Army later this fall.
The University simultaneously announced plans for a Center for Unmanned Systems Operational Advancement and Research (CUSOAR) at MTSU. The mission of the new center will be to provide a collaborative environment for academic, industry, and government entities to advance UAS operations and technology integration through research and development.
The MOU is the first-ever signed between a university and the Army UAS Project Office, which operates the largest unmanned aircraft fleet in America.
“We are proud and pleased to enter into this innovative partnership with the Army in the exploration and development of UAS technology and training,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, who joined Army officials at the AUVSI conference for the announcement.
“For more than six decades, MTSU has been on the leading edge of aerospace education,” McPhee said. “This agreement is another in a series of bold steps forward that we’ve taken to provide the very best in facilities, training and service in this important area.”
“This agreement will serve the educational needs of a growing industry and a growing program in the Army,” said Col. Timothy Baxter, project manager for Army UAS PO. “We are committed to this program’s success, which will help to accelerate the technological advances we seek in Army UAS programs.”
The Future Is Now
Unmanned aircraft, or “drones,” are demanding more and more attention in the aviation community. In addition to combat, unmanned aircraft have the potential for use in patrolling domestic skies (including the border), surveying land and crops, monitoring forest fires and environmental conditions, and perhaps even moving cargo from city to city.
MTSU’s rapid expansion into the unmanned arena tracks industry growth. That growth is due to the explosion of unmanned aircraft systems being used by all military services. Just in combat alone, the Army has flown over 1.2 million unmanned flight hours—a remarkable tribute to the success that these systems have had. From the standpoint of a commander’s risk calculus, the ability to carry out a mission without putting a life at risk dramatically alters decision making regarding what can or cannot be accomplished.
“There are countless stories of lives being saved directly and indirectly by UAS systems,” said Tim Owings, deputy project manager, UAS PO.
Right Place, Right Time
The Army seized the opportunity to partner with MTSU in an effort to promote research and development at the university level into technology applicable to UAS. MTSU was a particularly good fit for the Army given its burgeoning unmanned program and also its location in the southeastern U.S.—the primary recruiting base for Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.
“To the degree that the Army can promote independent research and development at the university level, develop student interest in what the Army does in UAS, and then ultimately hire many of these students, is a win-win situation from the Army perspective,” Owings said, adding that the UAS Project Office will have partnerships with many universities as part of the Army’s over-all initiative of education outreach.
MTSU aerospace chair Wayne Dornan said the agreement was “another major step” in building a center of excellence at the University in unmanned systems technologies. “Our goal of the next few years will be to build the best UAS research and educational program in the United States,” he said.
Kyle Snyder, director for MTSU’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, said the aerospace department is also developing curriculum to lead to a bachelor’s degree in aerospace with a concentration in unmanned aircraft systems operations.
“The UAS Operations curriculum will prepare graduates to lead UAS flight programs for civilian markets ranging from law enforcement to agriculture applications,” Snyder said. “Students will receive a balanced background in manned aviation, engineering technology, systems integration, robotics, and business analysis.
“A combination of academic coursework, field experiences, and industry internships will prime graduates of the UAS Operations program to launch careers in the fast-growing world of UAS,” he said.
The new agreement adds to MTSU’s momentum in UAS study and research. A recent partnership with private enterprise in the form of ISR Group of Savannah, Tenn., a recognized leader in unmanned aircraft services, gives the University an increasingly stronger foothold in the development of UAS. With the Army and ISR Group as new partners, MTSU is on the cusp of developing an unparalleled UAS program in the southeastern United States.
Additionally, MTSU is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is in the middle of a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s air traffic system through the NextGen program. Present FAA rules don’t allow the use of UAS in civilian airspace without prior authorization, since no pilots are aboard to see and avoid other air traffic.
MTSU’s aerospace department was recently named to a 33-member team, led by ITT Corp., to work toward modernizing the control of U.S. airspace in partnership with the FAA. That effort includes working to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System.
Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro, Tenn., just minutes away from Nashville. It is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. In September 2011, MTSU will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding. To read more about the University, go to our news and information website, www.mtsunews.com.
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