A recent test flight in the National Airspace System with a drone that was operated remotely showed that a chase aircraft is not needed for safety, NASA reported last week. During the June 12 flight, the Ikhana research aircraft used its own detect-and-avoid technology as an "alternate means of compliance," NASA said. Previously, flying remotely operated aircraft below FL 180 could only be done with a chase aircraft because of the FAA's "see and avoid" requirement. The Ikhana aircraft, based on the Predator drone, is about 36 feet long with a 66-foot wingspan and a gross weight of 10,500 pounds. During the test, the aircraft flew for about two and a half hours at altitudes up to 20,000 feet, and covered about 415 miles outside of restricted airspace, according to NASA.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/nasa-drones-can-fly-solo