Virginia UAV Activity Study- Virginia Low-Level Airspace Analysis is an Unmanned Robotics Systems Analysis, Inc. (URSA) report in collaboration with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), the Virginia Unmanned Systems Center at VIPC, and the Virginia Public Safety Innovation Center at VIPC.

The widespread proliferation of small unmanned aircraft systems—often known as drones—continues to create potential hazards for aviation and security problems for local communities. Six basic characteristics that can make some SCARED of the drone problem:

• The Scale of sUAS proliferation is widespread and continues to grow.
• sUAS offers unique, automated Capabilities that make the devices easy and
precise to fly.
• During flights, the aerial platform is separated from the operator, providing Anonymity, and making it difficult to hold perpetrators accountable.
• sUAS platforms can be easily Retrofitted or modified for illicit purposes, such as weaponization or delivering contraband.
• The applications of this Emerging technology are still not fully understood; novel uses are continuously being developed for these platforms.
• The relatively low cost of sUAS platforms makes them easily Disposable in the event of an incident, making it challenging to hold the operator accountable.

UAS detection technology was leveraged to capture a snapshot of sUAS activity in selected areas to codify the extent and type of sUAS operations occurring within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The goal of this report is to provide contextual information, enabling state and local stakeholders to understand the extent of sUAS operations, potential hazards, and establish data-driven responses to address community concerns.

Publication Date– January 2024

Virginia UAV Activity Study- Virginia Low-Level Airspace Analysis contains the following major sections:

  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Methodology
  • Results
  • Conclusions

Approved for public release.  Distribution is unlimited.

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Author– URSA

Post Image Credit: VIPC