News Archive
These Virginia Tech News releases cover MAAP's work since the test site was established in 2013.
2026
February 18, 2026 - Aviation pioneer joins advanced air mobility program
February 11, 2026 - Drone maker's flights over people accelerated by Virginia Tech experts
January 16, 2026 - Pioneering the future of safe drone flight
2025
October 2, 2025 - Virginia Tech’s Smart Airspace Vision
August/September 2025 - Virginia Tech’s Smart Airspace Vision: Instrument Approaches, Vertiports and Next-Gen Routes
July 9, 2025 - Real estate company reaches new heights in drone use with Virginia Tech
July 1, 2025 - First management system for drone traffic soars
June 26, 2025 - Future takes flight with new advanced air mobility program
May 22, 2025 - New research center aims to elevate nation’s drone defense
April 2, 2025 - Virginia Tech researchers advance drone use for media group
2024
December 17, 2024 – Research to counter drones is crucial as the technologies evolve says Virginia Tech drone expert
October 24, 2024 – Virginia Tech prioritizes aviation communication in project with industry partners
September 24, 2024 – Drone integration efforts lead to industry first
April 12, 2024 – FAA approves Virginia Tech's updated test method for drones to fly over people
March 11, 2024 – Unmanned aerial vehicles and workforce development part of congressman's visit to Blacksburg campus
2023
August 3, 2023 – Alexandria middle schoolers take their drones to the skies
February 27, 2023 – Traditional procedures supporting the next generation of aviation
2022
August 17, 2022 - Large-scale research effort on drone traffic management will answer a critical need in a growing industry
August 5, 2022 - Summer camp students build drones, explore STEM careers
July 6, 2022 - A drone that can avoid obstacles helped win a sweeping new approval for aerial inspections of power facilities
May 25, 2022 - Meet the interns who have kept the drone park humming
April 22, 2022 - U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine hears about regional effort to create next-generation transportation hub
2021
December 16, 2021 - Test methods for drones help put a crucial rule for safe flights over people into practice
October 27, 2021 - Drone delivery turns two
October 13, 2021 - Upcoming workshops will help prospective drone pilots pass certification test with flying colors
September 16, 2021 - A drone pilot pays it forward
April 22, 2021 - The first U.S. population to experience drone delivery gives it a seal of approval
April 22, 2021 - Drones are growing up
March 24, 2021 - To fly drones over roads safely, study what would happen if they crash
March 22, 2021 - Tombo Jones named director of Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
January 25, 2021 - Aspiring drone pilots get a little help earning their wings
2020
November 17, 2020 - Bracing for busier skies with drone traffic management research
October 30, 2020 - Federal program marks a new phase in drone integration
September 16, 2020 - Drones deliver time savings to customers, new revenue to businesses
July 10, 2020 - Radio tests address a central challenge for long-distance drone flights: Communications
May 10, 2020 - Sky-high deliveries benefit small businesses, consumers during pandemic
February 5, 2020 - Testing shows drones can use autonomous technology to dodge other air traffic
January 8, 2020 - On the Record with Virginia Tech: Drone technology taking flight
2019
October 18, 2019 - Drone delivery launches in Southwest Virginia
September 10, 2019 - Technology demo suggests how to keep drone traffic flowing smoothly
April 23, 2019 - Drone delivery in the U.S. clears a major hurdle
February 25, 2019 - Selection for drone traffic-management program reflects Virginia's leadership in UAS integration
2018
November 15, 2018 - Drone integration moves forward, one industry standard at a time
October 9, 2018 - Conference explores what's next for unmanned vehicles
August 28, 2018 - Town hall meeting is an opportunity to discuss university policy on drone use
August 24, 2018 - The future of delivery
May 21, 2018 - Behind the scenes of drone integration: Managing traffic in the sky
May 9, 2018 - Virginia wins bid to participate in national drone program
April 30, 2018 - At 85 feet, the net's the limit: Virginia Tech Drone Park officially open
April 24, 2018 - Research groups field-test the future of transportation, on the ground and in the air
2017
December 12, 2017 - State investment in radar technology pays dividends for drone research
September 29, 2017 - Project Wing's James Ryan Burgess to keynote autonomy conference
September 19, 2017 - Landmark study suggests risks vary widely in drone-human impacts
June 7, 2017 - Virginia Tech, Project Wing, and partners team up with NASA on unmanned traffic management
April 13, 2017 - Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, corporate partners test unmanned aircraft beyond line of sight
January 6, 2017 - Assessing injury risk from unmanned aircraft will pave the way for new applications
2016
November 8, 2016 - Unmanned-aircraft training program raises the bar for safety in aerial journalism
September 8, 2016 – Project Wing partners with Virginia Tech to test delivery by unmanned aircraft
August 25, 2016 – Research flights lay the groundwork for teaching unmanned aircraft to detect and avoid obstacles
August 2, 2016 – Virginia Tech unmanned aircraft expert speaks at White House panel on the future of aviation
July 25, 2016 – Unmanned aircraft researchers with Virginia Tech explore air traffic issues in power line inspections
June 1, 2016 – Leadership transition for the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
May 20, 2016 - Virginia Tech enables unmanned aircraft testing to survey energy corridors, study long-distance flights
April 18, 2016 - Virginia Tech test site helped advance new rules for unmanned aircraft
2015
December 8, 2015 – Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, Omnicon Group to expand unmanned aircraft testing, certification
August 31, 2015 – Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership explores tethered drone opportunities with Florida company
August 17, 2015 - Mark Blanks named associate director of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
August 14, 2015 – Unmanned aircraft systems test site to host public meeting to discuss progress
July 17, 2015 – Gov. Terry McAuliffe, President Tim Sands observe unmanned aircraft transport medications at research flights
July 15, 2015 – Drone drug delivery flights add international research element to health outreach
June 16, 2015 – Researchers advance unmanned aircraft industry with test flights to detect mock pipeline hazards
2014
October 9, 2014 - Governor's Award nominee Jon Greene recognized for propelling unmanned aircraft into nation's skies
August 13, 2014 - Virginia Tech's unmanned aircraft test site 'fully operational,' FAA says
April 22, 2014 – Industry leader in unmanned aircraft systems to helm new FAA-approved test site
2013
December 30, 2013 - Leaders welcome FAA nod to test unmanned aircraft; Virginia Tech positioned to lead new industry
September 27, 2013 – Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland join to support FAA unmanned aircraft systems effort