Overview
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT’s) Aeronautics Division, formerly known as the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, is authorized by Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The division has jurisdiction over 35 of the Commonwealth’s 38 public-use airports. It does not have jurisdiction over activities at Logan International Airport, Worcester Airport, and Hanscom Field, which are owned and operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority.
The Aeronautics Division received $20,486,000 of total funding in fiscal year 2020 and $14,916,000 of total funding in fiscal year 2021. The Aeronautics Division Drone Program received $3,380,000 of that funding in fiscal year 2020 and $4,625,000 in fiscal year 2021.
According to the Aeronautics Division’s website,
We promote aviation throughout the Commonwealth. We also enhance airport safety, customer service, economic development, and environmental stewardship. . . .
We support public-use airports . . . in the Commonwealth and we:
- promote economic development;
- inspect each airport for safety compliance;
- enhance environmental stewardship; and
- provide educational support to advance aviation and [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] initiatives.
MassDOT oversees four divisions: the Aeronautics Division, the Highway Division, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Mass Transit Division. Each division is headed by an administrator, who is appointed by the Secretary of Transportation.
Aeronautics Division Drone Program
According to the website of the Aeronautics Division Drone Program,
The MassDOT Aeronautics Division Drone Program uses Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS, or “drones”) to further the work of MassDOT and the [Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or MBTA] across the Commonwealth. The Drone Program is guiding adoption of drone technology within MassDOT and the MBTA in a manner that is safe, cost-effective, and secure.
The Aeronautics Division Drone Program conducts bridge, rail, subway tunnel, and airport inspections; asset monitoring; accident investigation; and incident response throughout the Commonwealth. The Aeronautics Division’s drones have also been used in MBTA training exercises, subway evacuation drills, and pipeline explosion inspections. In spring 2019, the division used one of its drones to fulfill a request from the State House to photograph discoloration of the gold leaf on the State House dome. The images captured by the drone provided information that was necessary for the repair process. In December 2021, the division partnered with several agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security, to perform drone flight testing with the immediate goal of developing the capacity to provide pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and lifesaving equipment to remote areas after storms and other natural disasters.
| Date published: | June 30, 2022 |
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