Sec. Duffy announces testing hub for new drones, air taxis, and other advance aircraft will be based in DFW with statewide footprint

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today applauded Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s announcement that the Texas A&M System will lead a new Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies (CAAT) with laboratory and testing locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and across the Lone Star State.

Sen. Cruz authored and championed a provision in the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorizing the creation of a new federal research and testing center for emerging aviation technologies like drones, air taxis, and supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. With its thriving aviation sector, strong business environment, and robust state university system, Texas was the logical home for such a center. Under the Texas A&M System’s leadership, a consortium of Texas universities, private organizations, and the FAA will advance the research, development, and integration of innovative aviation technologies.

Upon the announcement, Sen. 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. I am thankful to Secretary Duffy for recognizing the value of placing the new center in Texas, and I’m grateful to see the Texas A&M System leading this initiative and cultivating the next generation of aviation leaders. This is a significant win for Texas that will impact communities across our state, and I will continue to pursue policies that create new jobs and ensure the Lone Star State continues to lead the way in innovation and the manufacturing of emerging aviation technologies.”

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said:

“Texas is the perfect place for our new Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies. Under Senator Cruz’s leadership, the state has already established itself as a leader in commercial drone safety testing. From drones delivering your packages to powered lift technologies like air taxis, we are at the cusp of an aviation revolution. The CAAT will ensure we make that dream a reality and unleash American innovation safely.” 

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said:

“We’re thrilled the Department of Transportation has selected The Texas A&M University System to lead the Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies in Fort Worth. The Texas A&M System will support DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration to facilitate the integration of advanced air mobility and drive innovation of cutting-edge aviation technologies. And we will do it by harnessing the power and expertise of A&M System members -- such as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Autonomy Research Institute, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station and George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex -- and leveraging partnerships throughout the country. We thank Chairman Cruz for his vision in establishing this Center.”

The CAAT Laboratory will be located at Texas A&M Fort Worth and led by Texas A&M Corpus Christi utilizing their Autonomy Research Institute (ARI), which was designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site.

As an FAA-designated UAS test site, ARI is allowed to test UAS technologies, better known as drones, in a controlled environment, including those not permitted for general use. ARI also benefits from expedited access to Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COAs) for experimental and developmental purposes. These COAs, along with proposed Demonstration Zones at the University of North Texas (UNT), will increase available airspace for testing the integration of new technologies, particularly autonomous aircraft, into the nation’s airspace.

The program will bring together all 19 members and institutions of the Texas A&M System, as well as University of North Texas (UNT), Southern Methodist University (SMU), University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), University of Texas Arlington (UTA), Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), Louisiana State University (LSU), and a consortium of private organizations and government entities.

Last year, Sen. Cruz hosted a roundtable discussion featuring leaders from the ARI at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and various representatives from across the aviation industry to advocate for Texas to be chosen as the center's location.  

To learn more about the project from the Department of Transportation’s announcement, click HERE.

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