IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what caused a University of Iowa research drone to crash in a mobile home park near the Iowa City Municipal Airport.
It came down Dec. 18 next to one of the homes, strewing shattered parts nearby but striking no one. The university reported that the 100-pound (45.4-kilogram) aircraft became unresponsive before crashing.
Tom Schnell, a professor of industrial and systems engineering and lab director, was remotely operating the drone to test visual navigation functions for commercial drone applications, the university said. It had taken off from the airport.
Schnell has declined to comment until the investigation is completed.
The Gazette reported that the drone was bought for $300,000 in 2018. It has an 18-foot (5.5-meter) wingspan.
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