The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has received a $2 million federal appropriation to enhance its drone research and teaching infrastructure. The funding will be used to expand facilities at the university’s remote sites in Fabens and Tornillo, Texas.
U.S. Congressman Tony Gonzales joined UTEP President Heather Wilson and Aerospace Center Executive Director Shery Welsh, Ph.D., for the announcement. According to Congressman Gonzales, “Leveraging drone technology is not only key to our economy, but to our national security. The $2 million I secured in federal funding for UTEP’s UAS program will expand drone and counter-UAS capabilities while boosting innovation, national security, and job growth in the region. UTEP’s Aerospace Center continues to be a leader for top-tier research, and I applaud President Wilson, her team, and UTEP’s faculty for their partnership on this critical project.”
The funds were part of a community project prioritized by Representative Gonzales in an appropriations bill that was recently enacted.
“This appropriation will help build our infrastructure for research in drone and counter-drone technology,” said President Heather Wilson. “We are grateful to Congressman Gonzales’ support of this project, which will help not just UTEP, but the entire region.”
Planned improvements include upgrades such as radar systems, electrical enhancements, new technology infrastructure, and additional equipment at both Fabens and Tornillo locations. The university also intends to hire more staff and students to support teaching and research activities.
In May 2025, the UTEP Aerospace Center obtained a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This allows fully remote drone operations over an 87-square-mile area in west Texas without needing direct visual contact with the drones—a privilege held by only about 12 other universities nationwide.
Shery Welsh explained that most researchers must keep drones within sight during operation. With BVLOS approval, however, “UTEP researchers and trainees can send drones miles beyond the horizon to test systems in real-world conditions.”
Welsh added: “This isn’t just about flying drones — it’s about solving real challenges in border security, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring. We’re opening the door to cross-campus, cross-industry and governmental collaborations that will redefine what’s possible in unmanned systems research and accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies that keep the United States at the forefront of real-world operations.”
The expanded facilities are expected to address growing needs for training across various fields including aerospace engineering, agriculture applications using drones for crop monitoring or management practices similar to those described by the FAA, criminal justice uses such as surveillance or search-and-rescue missions outlined by the Department of Justice, computer science development focused on autonomous flight algorithms as referenced by the National Science Foundation, as well as emergency management.
