UTAC X NIST

Evaluate your sUAS pilot proficiency with NIST-developed and NIST-proctored standardized aerial drone testing at UTAC 2025!

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed these tests for drone capabilities and remote pilot proficiency, with sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, to facilitate objective comparisons across different testing locations using drones of various sizes and capabilities within the designated weight class. These tests are being standardized through the ASTM International Standards Committee on Homeland Security Applications (E54.09).

The results of NIST testing measure the reliability of the drone and remote pilot to perform the essential mission tasks. A series of complementary test lanes enable users to evaluate a wide spectrum of intended missions.

Not a pilot by trade? Your organization may still benefit from evaluation through NIST-developed test methods. NIST standardized tests support drone researchers, manufacturers, and other organizations in different ways.

Researchers use these tests to:

• Understand mission requirements
• Encourage innovation
• Demonstrate break-through capabilities.
• ..and more!

Manufacturers use these tests to:

• Evaluate design decisions
• Integrate emerging technologies
• Harden systems
• ...and more!

Various other organizations, such as  emergency response operations, critical infrastructure inspection, industrial and commercial applications, and even recreational pilots, can use these tests to guide purchasing, make deployment decisions, and measure remote pilot proficiency for credentialing.
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Test trials result in objective measures of drone capabilities and remote pilot proficiency that can be compared and tracked over time.