Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a developer of specialized lighter-than-air aerostats and tethered drones, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Drone Aviation Corp. (DAC), has been awarded a contract from NASA Langley Research Center to provide aerial and ground based equipment for use in a new research program at the Center. The customized DAC equipment will be utilized to support a NASA research program designed to test small unmanned aircraft aerodynamic designs and flight dynamics by launching the vehicles from a controlled tactical aerostat.
The award includes engineering services in addition to a DAC-designed and manufactured aerostat, a DAC wireless emergency deflation device, high strength tether line and a ground-based winch. The DAC aerial system will allow NASA researchers to rapidly, efficiently and safely test new airplane designs by utilizing the aerostat as a launch platform flown at pre-specified altitude.
Felicia Hess, CEO of Drone Aviation Holding Corp., stated, “Since their invention, we believe aerostats have proven to be a very versatile and dependable aerial platform, something supported by this new NASA research award. Working with the team at Langley, we are excited to help support this novel program and help aircraft engineers test and evaluate future aircraft designs.”
