Cal UAS approaches final deadline
By Jack Barnwell
Even as one final deadline required by the Federal Aviation Administration to submit a final volume approaches to be considered a test and research site for unmanned aircraft systems, Cal UAS Portal’s project manager is keeping busy.
Eileen Shibley, the Inyokern-based team’s leader, is finding doors open to her for a variety of meetings to explain the versatility of unmanned systems in various civilian and private industries and advocate why Inyokern and the Mojave Desert are right choice to be considered a test site.
“We are doing really well with the project proposal,” Shibley said Tuesday by phone.
Her team has already sent off Volume 3 of the proposal required for the FAA’s request for proposal, on its April 11 deadline and was working on Volume 7 for its May 6 deadline.
Volume 3 included the research, airspace and ground infrastructure components of the RFP, detailing what the Inyokern team has available.
Volume 7 is the economic impact analysis portion of the RFP, detailing what might benefit from the impact should Cal UAS Portal receive the test designation. Shibley said her team is currently working furiously on that portion.
“After that, the next step is to wait for a phone call from the FAA for a site visit,” Shibley said.
