The United States is widely recognized as the nation that pioneered the modern use of drone technology. The U.S. first began experimenting with drones during World War I and continued developing them through World War II and the Cold War. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. military’s deployment of Predator and Reaper drones brought unmanned aerial technology into mainstream awareness. Soon, other nations, such as Israel, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China, began developing their own military-grade drones.

Today, the drone industry is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, spanning military, commercial, and recreational sectors. However, as aviation expert Tombo Jones points out, the U.S. has fallen significantly behind in the global drone race, particularly when compared to countries like China. Key factors behind this decline include regulatory bottlenecks related to the safe integration of drones into shared national airspace and national security concerns that restrict broader deployment. The U.S. government is now working to reverse this trend by investing millions in drone research and development.

Mr. Jones, a former member of the U.S. Army and Coast Guard, honed his expertise in drone operations during his military service. He currently serves as the Director of Virginia Tech’s renowned Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), one of the original seven Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test sites. Established in 2013, MAAP operates out of Virginia Tech’s Kentland Experimental Aerial Systems Laboratory, which is located just outside the university’s main Blacksburg campus.

In May 2025, Virginia Tech announced that, under Mr. Jones’s leadership, MAAP had received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Army Futures Command’s C5ISR Center. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County, Maryland, the C5ISR Center is the Army’s premier hub for developing advanced communication, surveillance, and battlefield network technologies. The Department of Defense has tasked the C5ISR center with bolstering the nation’s drone and anti-drone capabilities, hence the new partnership with Virginia Tech.

The grant will fund the creation of a Counter-UAS Research and Testing Center under MAAP’s umbrella. The center will focus on developing technologies to detect, identify, and neutralize drone threats. It aims to establish versatile testing environments, both indoor and outdoor, to rigorously evaluate counter-drone systems under realistic conditions. By integrating detection technologies such as radar, electro-optical, infrared sensors, and acoustic systems, the research seeks to enhance drone identification capabilities even in complex or cluttered environments.

Additionally, the center will contribute to advancing the safe integration of drones into commercial airspace, particularly the broad use of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line Of Sight) drone operations. While Mr. Jones said he could not yet disclose the exact locations of the planned facilities, he confirmed they would be built on Virginia Tech property.

Austin Phoenix, Associate Research Professor and Director of the Mission Systems Division at Virginia Tech’s National Security Institute (NSI), will work closely with Mr. Jones to lead the initiative. Mr. Phoenix brings extensive experience from his time at the Naval Research Laboratory, where he helped develop cutting-edge drone systems. “Bringing together MAAP’s ability to do dynamic, high‑volume drone testing work within Federal Aviation Administration regulations,” he said, “and our expertise in security research, artificial intelligence, radio frequency systems, and system modeling will allow us to really push the bounds of the country’s UAS and counter‑UAS capabilities.”

As the birthplace of modern drone innovation, the United States now finds itself at a pivotal moment, working to reclaim its leadership in a field it helped create. The collaboration between Virginia Tech, MAAP, and the U.S. Army Futures Command’s C5ISR Center represents a strategic effort to close the gap and advance the nation’s capabilities in both drone deployment and defense. With renewed investment and a focus on cutting-edge research, the U.S. is positioning itself not just to catch up, but to shape the future of global drone technology once again.

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