Aviation agreement to bring new technological advances to the Gulf Coast

HANCOCK CO., Miss. (WLOX) – A new deal is allowing an aviation company to take its education to the next level here on the Mississippi coast.

Skydweller Aero Incorporated has reached an agreement with NASA’s Stennis Space Center to use restricted airspace for test flights.

“It was challenging because they had a lot of different scenarios based on their requirements,” said Jason Peterson, range operations manager at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. “They pushed the envelope, so to speak, but we got through it with our team.”

With this access, Skydweller will be able to conduct test flights in controlled airspace with limited obstacles, allowing for fewer setbacks as it works on developments.

“This is the development of technology that will connect the unconnected from a digital perspective and make the world a safer, more connected place,” said Robert Miller, CEO of Skydweller.

The aircraft that the Skydweller flies is different from a typical plane. This plane is crewed by a remote pilot and powered by solar energy, allowing for lower carbon emissions and extended flight times.

“Conventional unmanned aircraft fly for a maximum of 40-80 hours,” Miller said. “We’re talking about flying for weeks, months, so we would be in the air hundreds and thousands of hours.”

With this agreement, the expected speed of discovery is expected to greatly increase, allowing the latest advances in aviation technology to be found here in South Mississippi.

“This is a technology that people in Silicon Valley failed at that were succeeding in Mississippi and Oklahoma,” Miller said.

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