GATS and UASA to Engage with Penn State Behrend
UASA and GATS will meet with Penn State Behrend leadership and faculty to explore collaboration oppo
Tucson, AZ and Erie, PA - May 11, 2026
Discussions will focus on engineering development, software and AI systems, materials research, and student engagement aligned with autonomous aviation systems.
Key areas of interest include:
- AI and simulation
- Flight performance modeling
- Carbon fiber and advanced materials
- Student internships and research pathways
“This is an opportunity to align system development with academic excellence.”
The meeting represents an initial step toward long-term institutional collaboration.
UASA Receives Initial FAA Certification
Unmanned Aircraft Systems of America (UASA) has FAA Group 5 UAV Certification
Tucson, AZ - April 27, 2026
Unmanned Aircraft Systems of America (UASA) has achieved initial progression within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification pathway for its long-range, heavy-lift Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform.
This milestone reflects continued advancement in UASA’s engineering architecture, safety systems, and system-level validation approach required for large-scale autonomous aviation.
The UASA platform is designed to support long-range cargo transport as part of a fully integrated unmanned aerial system (UAS), including command, control, and communications (C3) infrastructure and associated ground systems.
Certification progression remains a central component of UASA’s development strategy, ensuring that system deployment aligns with regulatory expectations for high-consequence aviation environments.
“Certification precedes commercialization. This milestone reflects disciplined engineering aligned with long-term operational safety.”
— Richard White
UASA will continue advancing through certification, validation, and integration phases.
UASA receives Letter of Intent from GATS for 500 UAVs
GATS Issues Letter of Intent for Large-Scale UAV Procurement
Tucson, AZ and Erie, PA - December 1, 2025
GATS has issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to procure up to 500 long-range, heavy-lift UAVs and associated systems from UASA.
The procurement supports phased deployment of GATS’ autonomous cargo infrastructure, beginning with initial Air Logistics Center (ALC) activation and regional operations.
Based on current program estimates, the aircraft component of the program is projected to exceed $150 billion over time, subject to engineering development, certification progression, and full system deployment.
The LOI establishes a structured pathway for aligning aircraft production with infrastructure rollout.
"This aligns production with infrastructure at scale."
Program phasing and deployment sequencing will be released as development progresses
Note:
This Letter of Intent does not constitute a finalized purchase agreement.
GATS Selects UASA as Primary UAV Development Partner
UASA Selected to Develop Long-Range, Heavy-Lift UAV
Tucson, AZ - October 1, 2025
Global Autonomous Transportation Systems (GATS) has selected Unmanned Aircraft Systems of America (UASA) as its primary development partner for long-range, heavy-lift autonomous cargo aircraft.
The partnership aligns aircraft development with infrastructure deployment, ensuring that UAV systems are engineered specifically for integration into GATS’ Air Logistics Center (ALC) network and operational architecture.
This approach integrates aircraft, infrastructure, and monitoring systems into a unified platform rather than treating them as independent components.
UASA will lead aircraft and system development, while GATS advances infrastructure, deployment sequencing, and operational frameworks.
“This ensures the system is built as a unified architecture from day one.”
The collaboration represents a foundational step toward scalable autonomous cargo infrastructure.
