On March 3rd 2015 five members from the UAV team toured the Mesa Lab facilities led by Dr. Chen and PhD candidate Tiebiao Zaho. The team was able to view current and past projects, such as a 3D printed plane and the newly upgraded flight testing area. Tiebiao informed students that they are welcome to volunteer at Mesa Labs to help him and his colleagues work on projects. Dr. Chen explained that the outdoor testing area is compliant with FAA regulations even though it is close to an airport. The test center it completely netted so that it counts as an indoor space, making it FAA compliant.
The area contains a matted area and a pool so a variety of land and aquatic tests can be performed. The next step in Mesa’s UAV program is to plant several trees so that they can gain ground truthing data on the effects of water stress. This data can then be used to accurately evaluate collected data from another field. Students from the UAV team have been asked to help plant trees near the flight testing area. The resources provided to us by Mesa Labs include large open areas for new projects, tools and parts, and support from experienced researchers and mentors. These resources are valuable to the UAV team, and will help us succeed. Overall, the trip was a success, as UAV team members were educated about the resources Mesa Labs can provide them with.
