Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory has acquired two of the latest TigerShark XP3 aircraft, which will help expand its UAS research and support capabilities.

Expected to substantially increase Raspet’s UAS core flight research capabilities, the TirgerShark XP3 UAS will allow the Raspet team to fly at higher altitudes and for a longer period of time, which will increase the research lab's ability to meet the needs of its federal research partners, and directly support Mississippians in times of emergency, according to Raspet Lab Director Dallas Brooks.

“Our previous aircraft were good for three to four hours in the air of uninterrupted flight,” Brooks says.

“These TigerSharks are capable of sustained flight for 8-12 hours without refueling. When we’re doing work like disaster relief support, those hours become critical. Every minute in the air is a minute you might be able to find someone that needs medical assistance or evacuation.”

The UAS can direct crews to repair downed power lines, broken levees, or other critical infrastructure, Brooks adds.

“Having aerial imagery over a scene is absolutely invaluable to the first responder community,” Brooks says. “So we are always prepared to support in times like this. These new aircraft allow us do so much more to support these and a host of other public service operations.”

Capable of carrying nearly 100 pounds of payload or equipment, the TigerShark nearly triples Raspet’s capacity to carry specialized devices such as sophisticated sensors that could be used for various purposes, including examining agricultural crop health or the status of critical infrastructure such as bridges and levees.

With the added capacity, the UAS can also carry multiple pieces of equipment at the same time, which significantly increases the effectiveness of each flight.

Brooks also notes that his team can now use one UAS to monitor erosion while simultaneously testing the ability of a UAS to orbit over a disaster area and function as a temporary cell tower.

Raspet has established relationships with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to study the best ways to integrate UAS in disaster response scenarios. Additionally, Raspet is establishing relationships with local governments in the Mississippi Delta to support their civic and public safety functions, in addition to the agricultural and environmental work that it conducts in the region.