Research and development nonprofit MITRE, with dual headquarters in McLean, Virginia and Bedford, Massachusetts, cut the ribbon this week on a new drone testing range near Orange, Virginia.
The facility will be used to experiment with small, uncrewed aircraft systems and serve as a proving ground to develop, test and evaluate new drone, counter-drone and autonomous systems.
Among officials at the opening on Monday was Jeffrey Vincent, executive director of the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Integration office.
“The drone range will provide tremendous opportunity for valuable collaboration amongst government, industry and academic researchers benefitting the drone community at large,” Vincent said in opening comments.
MITRE has been a pioneer in drone technologies for over two decades. It has partnered with police, firefighters and security and public safety organizations to develop drone technology, particularly for first responder use.
Last month, the nonprofit partnered with the New York City Police Department and New York City Fire Department to develop drone technology for hazardous response units, including scenarios involving chemical, biological, nuclear or explosive threats, hazardous spills and accidents.
The U.S. Army and U.S. navy use MITRE’s smartphone app-controlled counter-drone defense system.
“Our team of experts works tirelessly to ensure our drone solutions are not only cutting-edge but also user-friendly, allowing agencies to harness the full potential of uncrewed aerial systems,” said MITRE senior manager Steve King.
MITRE’s research includes public-private partnerships and federally funded research and development centers. Though a nonprofit, MITRE ranks as one of the largest government IT contractors in the D.C. region, with roughly 4,500 metro-area employees, according to Washington Business Journal data.
