Desert Research Institute-led team flies drone in 32-mile loop

Nevada researchers are one step closer to realizing the full benefits of using drones for things like emergency services, field surveying and cloud-seeding.

For the first time in Nevada history, a team led by the Desert Research Institute flew a drone in a roughly 32 mile loop at the Hawthorne Industrial Airport.

“Up until now we’ve only been flying distances up to a couple of miles,” said Chris Walach, director of the FAA-designated Nevada UAS Test Site.

Adam Watts, principal investigator on the project and an assistant research professor at DRI said the flight, which took place on Wednesday, proves the state is ready for the next set of broader regulations to be set by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“This is a big deal because it demonstrates that our technology is mature enough to go beyond the visual line of the pilot and potentially out of sight of anybody on the ground safely,” Watts said.

The Drone America Savant unmanned fixed-wing aircraft reached an altitude of 1,500 feet in completing the one-hour flight.