HQ-40 receives experimental certification

Latitude Engineering and BNSF Railway’s UAS Program, along with BNSF aviation consultants Padina Group and Bihrle Applied Research acquired FAA Experimental certification for two HQ-40 aircraft used in BNSF’s Pathfinder program (beyond line of sight UAS integration into the national airspace). The 10 month effort culminated at the Playas New Mexico airfield, where the HQ-40 aircraft were inspected and a successful flight demonstration was performed. Latitude’s HQ-40 aircraft are one of the first to be certified under the recent Pathfinder Programs.