Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Test Approval Process And Its Implications: A Methodological Approach To Capture And Evaluate Hidden Costs And Value In The Overall Process, Tuan U. Tran

Theses and Dissertations

The advancement in small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) technology has brought a new revolution in the military domain. Their uses have become more synonymous with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. Concerns over their flight test safety and accountability have been addressed in multiple policies to mitigate mishaps and increase proper accountability. However, current DoD and FAA mandated regulations and policies concerning UAV flight tests are sometimes considered slow and time-consuming, which may lead to delays in UAV research and development. This study explores the quantitative and qualitative measure of benefits associated with an abbreviated flight test process for SUAVs. Specifically, …