COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation is planning to fly a large drone over a stretch of highway outside Columbus as part of a pilot traffic surveillance program, after receiving special permission from federal aviation officials to fly the aircraft out of view of its on-the-ground pilot.
ODOT workers will pilot the 20-pound Censys Sentaero aircraft, which has a wingspan of 7.5 feet, over a four-mile stretch of U.S. 33, a highway northwest of Columbus, to supplement on-the-ground traffic cameras, state officials said in a Wednesday news release. The unmanned aerial vehicle will be the first of its size in the country to be approved for that specific purpose, and only the second of its sized to be approved to fly over people and traffic for any reason without an on-board parachute.
State officials refer to the stretch of U.S. 33 where the drone will operate as its “Smart Mobility Corridor,” which ODOT has outfitted with fiber-optic cables, road sensors and other equipment as part of its research into future automotive technology. The road connects Columbus with Marysville, the site of a large Honda factory and the state’s Transportation Research Center, a vehicle safety testing site.
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State officials say the drone will have onboard sensors meant to detect other nearby aircraft, supplemented by “visual observers on the ground.” They say it’s more flexible than stationary, on-ground traffic cameras, allowing it to be deployed in response to specific slowdowns or crashes, and to help with search and rescue efforts. It also can be equipped with sensors to allow it to be used to support emergency workers responding to hazmat situations.
If state officials deem the program to be a success, similar drones could be used elsewhere, particularly in rural areas.
“This is only the beginning,” Rich Fox, director of ODOT’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Center, said in a statement. “We’re excited to test the potential benefits and leverage this special approval to continue integrating new UAS technology into agency operations.”
ODOT officials did not say when the drone would begin flying, although the approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, whose permission is needed to pilot any drones that operate out of site of its pilots, lasts for four years.
Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer