The Texas A&M University System has announced the establishment of the Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies (CAAT), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing research and development in emerging aviation technologies. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) will lead the initiative, based on the Autonomy Research Institute’s (ARI) extensive experience as an FAA-designated UAS System Test Site. The laboratory component of the Center will be located at Texas A&M-Fort Worth.
The announcement comes as a result of a provision authored by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which authorized the creation of a federal research center focused on innovative aviation technologies, including drones, air taxis, and supersonic and hypersonic aircraft.
“I’m grateful to see the Texas A&M System leading this initiative and cultivating the next generation of aviation leaders,” Cruz said. “When I authored the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, I wrote the language creating the Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies with the express intention of bringing that Center to the Dallas-Fort Worth area because of the groundbreaking innovation occurring there. I’m confident this new research and testing center will help the private sector create thousands of high-paying jobs and grow the Texas economy through billions in new investments.”
The CAAT will serve as a hub for research and testing, utilizing the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Autonomy Research Institute (ARI), which is designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a UAS test site. The institute will conduct controlled testing of unmanned aircraft systems and other advanced technologies, facilitating the safe integration of innovative solutions into the national airspace.
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Texas A&M University System to Launch Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies in Fort Worth