FORT WORTH, Texas — It might look like a batting cage for giants but it's not made for baseball practice.
The University of Texas at Arlington is expanding its research and innovation capabilities by building a $2.3 million, state-of-the-art outdoor netted drone facility.
The Maverick Autonomous Vehicle Research Center (MAVRC) will be located at the UT Arlington Research Institute (UTARI) in Fort Worth.
MAVRC will be a netted structure equipped with lighting, an advanced suite of cameras and other sensors, and an adjacent control and education building. The facility will also be a resource for undergraduate and graduate students who study robotics and electrical engineering.
"We are excited for all the new opportunities this facility will enable for UTA faculty, researchers, and students, as well as our business partners in the North Texas community," said Eileen D. Clements, interim executive director of UTARI.
The facility will help solidify UTA’s position at the forefront of research and education in a technology that could improve everything from commerce to emergency response and agriculture.
“Just this week, UTA and the city of Arlington are demonstrating air robot deliveries in east Arlington as part of an ongoing project with the U.S. Department of Energy," said Kate C. Miller, vice president for research and innovation at UTA.
MAVRC will also complement and expand existing autonomous vehicle research at UTA. Dr. Yan Wan, a professor of electrical engineering who spearheaded the MAVRC project, is currently working on an unmanned aerial vehicle aimed at helping first responders during emergencies.
“Unmanned vehicles have phenomenal capabilities, but we must also consider how these ‘robots in the air’ talk to each other to avoid collisions and perform collaborative tasks,” said Dr. Wan.
MAVRC is expected to be completed by January 2025.
The netted facility is yet another investment in the North Texas region by UTA. In August, the University announced plans to build UTA West, a new campus in western Fort Worth. UTA West will be developed as part of a multi-year plan to serve more than 10,000 students and it’s expected to begin welcoming students as soon as fall 2028.