Contact: Nicole Thomas
Biloxi, Miss. – Hundreds of aviation enthusiasts got their first look at Mississippi State’s Teros, the largest, most sophisticated uncrewed aircraft system in academic use, during Thunder Over the Sound Air & Space Show at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi in April.
MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Lab, the nation’s leading academic research institute dedicated exclusively to the advancement of uncrewed aircraft systems, is only the second entity in the world to secure the autonomous aircraft.
“Raspet has the distinction of operating the largest fleet of uncrewed aircraft at any U.S. academic research institution, and that fleet includes not one, but two Teros,” said Raspet’s Director Rob Premo.
The air show, a first for Teros, provided a unique opportunity to introduce the state-of-the-art aircraft to a broader audience on Mississippi’s gulf coast. It also strengthened Raspet’s commitment to recruit the next generation of aerospace talent.
Raspet’s pilots, who are among only a few in the world trained to operate Teros, traveled with the aircraft, sharing their knowledge and experiences with aviation fans and students from area high schools who participated in a STEM expo during the air show.
“It’s exciting,” said Raspet pilot Peter McKinley. “I’m looking forward to the future of Raspet and the new research opportunities Teros brings to the table for us with its expanded capabilities.”
Teros can also be equipped with a 4G LTE cellular system when cell service is unavailable to support first responders during disaster response or other emergency scenarios.
“With 24-hr flight endurance and 600-pound payload capacity, Teros can carry multiple payloads that perform a vast array of applications,” said Austin Wingo, Raspet’s Associate Director of Flight Operations. “This advanced UAS technology allows us to offer even greater mission capabilities to our public and private partners to further advance aviation research.”
Teros is expected to be the first UAS of its kind to become type certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, meaning it is designed for complete future integration into the national airspace.
Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is the nation’s leading academic research center dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed aircraft systems. Raspet is the only institute in the world designated both as the FAA’s UAS Safety Research Facility and as official UAS Test Sites for both the FAA and the Department of Homeland Security, placing the research center at the helm of studying and developing UAS safety and certification standards. Home to a fleet of the largest and most capable unmanned aircraft in academic use, Raspet conducts UAS research on behalf of federal agencies and commercial industry partners, helping grow Mississippi’s aerospace sector.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.