CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi could potentially get an additional base for their Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program on Corpus Christi International Airport grounds.
But the proposal is in it's early stages.
Airport staff presented their proposal to the airport board Wednesday. 3NEWS spoke with Assistant Director of Operations Testing and Evaluation for the Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and Innovation Tye Payne who said that If approved, the partnership could spell great things for the Island University.
"Which will end up being somewhere we can go to utilize the airspace, test out new technologies, build things, and build the industry for the future within this area, and eventually across the country," he said.
TAMU-CC is one of only seven federal aviation administration unmanned aircraft services test sites in the United States. A partnership with CCIA can help expand research.
"As a FAA test site, part of what we do is research development into unmanned aircraft, and how we utilize them and integrate them into the national airspace system," he said. "As part of the university, we try to bring in students, work towards student engagement, student success, and student research. So those two combined, to add into the partnership with Corpus Christi, is very good for the community."
3NEWS received a statement from officials with Corpus Christi International Airport that reads:
CCIA looks forward to building upon our already close relationship with Lone Star UAS. We’re working every day with Lone Star and FAA to build a program that benefits our industry and community. The team at Lone Star is made of some of the best professionals in the country and the work they’re doing will have a major impact on unmanned aviation’s integration into airport airspace and the rest of the industry.
No date has been set yet for the airport to present the idea before city council. There are still a few details that need to be finalized, mostly dealing with the leasing of space at the airport. Hopefully if the proposal goes through, it will expand educational resources for Island University students.
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