The U.S. Air Force activated a new group within the 412th Test Wing in July to help the military branch develop testing methods for autonomous systems and small unmanned aircraft.
The Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force aims to establish test plans and policies as well as explore potential testing areas around Edwards AF Base in California, the Air Force said Thursday.
The group also seeks to collaborate with commercial partners, NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Civil Engineering and Security Forces centers to identify flight test capabilities for emerging technology.
“The CTF will create test capabilities that do not currently exist and help eliminate strategic surprise to the 412th Test Wing,†said Maj. Dan Riley, director of the Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force.
CTF plans to conduct its first official test on a quadcopter equipped with a transmitter by the end of November.
