TERRE HAUTE —
It may be another six months before officials at Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field and Indiana State University know if the Wabash Valley will be part of a Federal Aviation Administration test site for unmanned aircraft systems.
The two entities are part of what is called Indiana’s National Center for Complex Operations, which last month partnered with the state of Ohio, to pursue one of six sites the FAA will pick for developing unmanned aircraft system technology and operational procedures for such craft to routinely fly across the U.S.
Ohio offers test laboratories, and Indiana has restricted air space for test flights at locations such as Muscatatuck Urban Training Center and Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center.
Terre Haute’s airport can be used as a launching site to reach those restricted air spaces, said Darrel Zeck, director of operations and development at the airport.
Terre Haute offers less congested airspace that other sites, is capable of landing nearly any sized aircraft, provides automated landing and takeoff systems, and houses air traffic controllers, which includes a training center for those controllers, Zeck said.
Growth in the multi-billion unmanned aerial systems industry is expected to skyrocket in the next decade. A test site would create jobs from contractors using the test sites, Zeck said.
Zeck said Friday that the Ohio/Indiana partnership was to submit a proposal by Sept. 18. The FAA, he said, has pushed that back.
“I personally believe we won’t see anything until after the [November] election, likely in early December,” Zeck said. It would then be another 90 days before the FAA rules on the six sites, he added.
If the Ohio/Indiana partnership is selected as a test site, Indiana State University would serve as a “gateway” for civilian organizations to use the airspace in Indiana, said Richard E. Baker, ISU assistant professor of aviation and program director of ISU’s Unmanned System and Human Capital Development.
“If a company wants to come in and use the airspace to do some training with their unmanned system, ISU will take a look at it and sponsor them into the National Guard,” Baker said.
“We would do a small risk assessment to make sure [an unmanned system] is air worthy and safe to fly and has appropriate plans and checklists in place,” Baker said.
Zeck said whether the Ohio/Indiana partnership is chosen as a test site designation, the Terre Haute airport is continuing a parallel path with ISU “working on unmanned systems and bringing that business and economic development to the state of Indiana,” Zeck said.
Baker said by year’s end, ISU plans to obtain a certificate of authority to fly small unmanned systems out of Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field.
“That will be very limited. They will look like toy helicopters and toy airplanes to most people,” Baker said.
ISU currently offers a minor in unmanned systems and will offer a bachelor’s degree in the fall of 2013, Baker said.
“We are working on the application of unmanned systems for the benefit of people in areas such as homeland security, first responders and agricultural applications,” Baker said.
“You could get a better crop estimate and look at things such as crop damage and disease. The advantage is it costs much less that hiring an aircraft with a person per hour,” Baker said of unmanned aircraft.
Unmanned aircraft can also fly on cloudy days, which can block the view for satellites, Baker said. Such unmanned flights could also be used to show flood damage or potential flood concerns, Baker added.
“We think the civilian and agricultural side will grow rapidly over time, especially after the FAA has figured out how to work them in the national airspace system. That is why we are involved in the Indiana/Ohio effort to get a test site in our state,” Baker said.
“We want to be on the leading edge of trying to make sure this is done safely in the national airspace,” Baker said. “The biggest task is to make sure there is an ability to keep an unmanned aircraft system safely in the national airspace with a sense and avoid system, which works the same as a manned aircraft which uses a see and avoid” system with a pilot, he said.
“The research is how is this going to work,” Baker said.
Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.
com.
Local & Bistate
Unmanned flight may brighten TH skies
Airport in running as test sight that could boost Terre Haute-ISU development
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment
Pioneers think counterintuitively. Where others see widespread apathy, they focus on the possibility for progress. In a way, the 2013 Year of the River celebration began in the 1970s.
-
Planning session aims to better Terre Haute
It’s not yet clear what will come of it, but dozens of community leaders spent the whole day Wednesday trying to develop a plan – or collection of plans – to make Terre Haute “a better community.”
-
Education funding boost won’t benefit all schools
In the budget bill passed by the General Assembly last month, there is more money allocated for K-12 education over the next two years, but that doesn’t mean every school will get more dollars.
- Day of Action job options open
-
Park Board renames land around Memorial Stadium
Land surrounding Indiana State University’s Memorial Stadium on Terre Haute’s east side has been designated as Veterans Memorial Park, following a unanimous vote Wednesday from the Terre Haute Park Board.
-
Deputy suffers minor injury during incident
A Vigo County Sheriff’s deputy received a minor injury to his hand Tuesday night while subduing a drunken driving suspect who fled behind a North Terre Haute business.
-
Man accused of child neglect gets new trial date
An Oct. 15 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested in November for child neglect after he and his wife allegedly tied up and confined their adopted children in the family home.
-
Police find meth labs, arrest Pierson Township man
Police uncovered two active methamphetamine labs in southeastern Vigo County on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Pierson Township man.
-
New date set for attempted murder trial
A new trial date has been set for a Terre Haute woman charged with attempted murder.
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A proposal that revamps sex education in Illinois public schools to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases has cleared the state Senate.
-
Gregg pondering 2nd run for Indiana governor
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg is pondering another run at the state's top job, but has yet to make a decision.
-
Illinois senator apologizes for Nazi remark
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Donne Trotter has apologized for remarks that compared a member of Gov. Pat Quinn’s cabinet to a Nazi.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 21, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
-
UPDATE: Damage surveys show 2 weak tornadoes hit near Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — The National Weather Service says storm surveys show two weak tornadoes struck central Indiana.
-
Storm causes scattered Indiana power outages
INDIANAPOLIS — A line of thunderstorms that moved across Indiana caused scattered building damage and power outages for several thousand homes and businesses.
-
Kindergartner diagnosed with MD treated to a day with the fire department
“He’ll just never forget this day,” Stacey Manley said, a little bit tearfully, as she watched her smiling 6-year-old son Carter sitting happily in the captain’s seat of Fire Engine 2.
-
Casey, Illinois aims for another world record
The town of Casey, Ill., may soon weave its way into the record books as the small town with the most world records. After setting records for the world’s largest wind chimes and the world’s largest golf tee, Casey is now looking to become home to the world’s largest knitting needles and crochet hook.
-
Rose-Hulman projects will promote growth, learning for people with physical challenges
Life changed dramatically for college engineering student Drew Christy on Feb. 22, 2008 when he was involved in an auto accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
-
‘500’ gas stations being sold to Speedway LLC
After several decades in business, the area’s familiar “500” gasoline stations and convenience stores will soon be missing from the roadsides of Vigo and Sullivan counties.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Today in History May 22
Raw: Costa Rica Volcano Roars to Life
Jodi Arias: Death Penalty Would Cause More Pain
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever
Trout's cycle a boost for Angels
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
