Aurora Flight Sciences of Manassas is looking to expand its operational testing of the Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft system to Lonesome Pine Airport in Wise County.
Through this endeavor, Aurora aims to continue advancing the Virginia Unmanned Systems Commission’s progress toward making the state a leader in the unmanned systems industry while also establishing Wise County as a research, development and operational hub for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS,) according to a news release.
Aurora will initially use the Centaur OPA system, a large UAS, to collect a variety of critical data for the state using advanced sensor technologies, and support the Mountain Empire Community College in developing the first of its kind Aerial Drone Geo-Spatial Mapping and Surveyors course.
