March 19, 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of August "Gus" Raspet coming to Mississippi State University to carry out a vision for aerospace research that pushed the boundaries of what is possible in flight. 

Today, Raspet boasts the largest uncrewed aircraft system fleet in U.S. academia and plays a major role in MSU-led efforts to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace, helping accelerate the benefits of UAS in key areas such as emergency response, health care, science and commerce.

Teros, the largest, most sophisticated uncrewed aircraft at any U.S. academic research institution, is unveiled at Raspet Flight Research Laboratory further advancing our commitment to uncrewed aviation research. With its 40-foot wingspan, 600-pound payload, and 24-hour flight endurance, the Teros demonstrates the power of large UAS technology to make aviation safer and more efficient.

Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory flies the first non-military, Group 3 unmanned aircraft system within the Federal Aviation Administration’s Class C controlled airspace. The flight took place at the busiest airport in Mississippi: the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration designates Raspet as the FAA’s UAS Safety Research Facility. In this role, the MSU flight research lab studies safety standards for unmanned aircraft systems and develops and validates certification standards for the systems.

Following Boeing’s selection of Mississippi State to create a stitched, resin-infused composites lab, MSU opens the Marvin B. Dow Stitched Composites Development Center at MSU’s Advanced Composites Institute. The institute is housed at Raspet.

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate selects Mississippi as its UAS demonstration range. Led by Raspet and the Mississippi Partnership, the demonstration range is a UAS flight testing and exercise evaluation facility.

The state of Mississippi becomes a full member in the University of Alaska Fairbanks-led Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex. The complex is one of the FAA’s seven UAS test sites. The Mississippi program, led by Mississippi State, will include several UAS test and evaluation sites in the state.