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NASA Flies A Large Drone Solo In Public Airspace
NASA has flown a large, remotely piloted aircraft equipped with detect-and-avoid technologies through the national airspace system for the first time without a safety chase plane following it. (aviationbuzzword.com) More...
It would be nice if aviation writers would understand that public airspace is public airspace. Class E airspace is not reserved for general aviation airspace and general aviation aircraft routinely fly in Class A airspace.
“Controlled from Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, Ikhana flew west into Class A airspace where airliners fly, north to Fresno and south through Class E general aviation airspace, including an approach to Victorville airport.”
“Controlled from Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, Ikhana flew west into Class A airspace where airliners fly, north to Fresno and south through Class E general aviation airspace, including an approach to Victorville airport.”
The article was actually copied from the original NASA media release, https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-flies-large-unmanned-aircraft-in-public-airspace-without-chase-plane-for-first.
Which makes it even worse in my mind!
First sentence should read “...not reserved for general aviation and general aviation....”
[This poster has been suspended.]
Why? For what purpose do we want "unmanned aircraft [operating] in airspace used by commercial and private pilots?"