FAA Approves Unmanned Aerial System Use by Atlantic Cape

MAYS LANDING – Atlantic Cape Community College was issued a Certificate of Authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Organization to operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems recently.
The college was approved for the specific purpose of operating UAS for aeronautical research to measure the effectiveness of UAS to monitor and map agriculture crops. Over the next two years, Atlantic Cape will schedule and conduct a series of research flights at the Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension in Chatsworth, which is a substation of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University.
The research gathered will aid the college’s Aviation Studies department to design courses and programs focusing on using UAS to collect geospatial and aerial imagery data.
Students will benefit through:
• Exposure to aeronautical research
• Participation in data collection
• Participation in pre-flight planning of research flights
• Preparation of weather reports for test range
• Post-processing of collected geospatial data.
Since Atlantic Cape launched a special topics class on unmanned aircraft systems in January 2014, the college has acquired four UAS for demonstrations.
The college has collaborated with the Atlantic City Police Department previously to demonstrate the uses of the unmanned aerial systems and how they can be used in law enforcement, Homeland Security, beach patrols and sea rescues.