Purdue drone completes milestone 50-mile Indiana flight
Purdue University is playing a central role in a new Indiana testing corridor for autonomous aircraft after a university-owned Windracers ULTRA completed a flight of more than 50 miles beyond its operators' visual line of sight. The flight occurred Oct. 31 within the newly established 200-plus-mile Indiana Drone Corridor, according to a community announcement. The demonstration took place as the corridor opened at Terre Haute Indiana Airport. The unmanned aircraft, owned by Purdue, is manufactured by British autonomous aircraft company Windracers and has a 33-foot wingspan. It uses a proprietary flight control system to fly autonomously and can drop cargo from three bays. Purdue's role in the Indiana Drone Corridor The corridor encompasses southern Indiana and Purdue, where researchers are working with Windracers to study the safety and efficiency of autonomous aircraft systems. Purdue is making its Windracers ULTRA available to test potential uses relevant to Indiana. Among those is delivering emergency supplies by parachute to communities affected by seasonal flooding. "This is a major milestone for Indiana and the broader Midwest, delivering significant value to a diverse group of stakeholders," said Damon Lercel, an associate professor in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute's School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. "By providing
