Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership

What Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership does

Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) is an FAA-designated unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site and university research organization operating within Virginia Tech's Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) in Blacksburg, Virginia. Established in 2013, MAAP provides research, test-and-evaluation, and safety case development services that enable advanced drone operations - including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), operations over people, and residential delivery - that are not permitted under existing FAA rules. Its core capabilities include a systematic four-stage safety case development process, the first FAA-accepted Means of Compliance for Operations Over People (developed with the Virginia Tech Center for Injury Biomechanics), in-house detect-and-avoid simulation tools, and specialized testing infrastructure spanning the Kentland Farm airfield, the Virginia Tech Drone Park (the tallest netted flight facility in the U.S.), and a deployable Mobile Operations Command Center.

MAAP's revenue is generated almost entirely through professional services delivered under federal research contracts and project-based engagements - including NASA UTM research (since 2016), the FAA UTM Pilot Program, DoD and DHS counter-UAS evaluation, and a recent $5M Army Futures Command award - alongside fee-for-service waiver and certification testing for commercial drone manufacturers. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales into federal agencies (FAA, NASA, DoD, DHS, CBP), commercial UAS operators (e.g., Wing/Alphabet, Dominion Energy), and academic partners, mediated through its FAA test site designation and its role directing operations for the Virginia BEYOND program (Oct 2020 - Oct 2024). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project based on scope, complexity, and partner type. As a non-profit university unit, MAAP has no external investors; its strategic capital is its regulatory position, codified test methods, and accumulated flight-test data.

Name

Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership

Legal name

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Website

https://maap.ictas.vt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MAAP is an FAA-designated UAS test site within Virginia Tech that provides research, safety case development, and test-and-evaluation services to federal agencies (FAA, NASA, DoD, DHS) and commercial drone operators, enabling advanced drone operations such as BVLOS and operations over people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UAS Testing and Research Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Air Traffic Control (488111)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), Counter-UAS (C-UAS) Systems & Drone Defense (IMABAIAG)

Keywords

• UAS test site services
• Drone safety case development
• Unmanned aircraft testing
• FAA waiver research support
• UAS traffic management research

Headquarters

HQ city

Blacksburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Federal Research Contracts: Major federal UAS integration initiatives and contracts including NASA UTM research, FAA UTM Pilot Program, DoD and DHS counter-UAS evaluation projects. One of the few test sites selected for multiple FAA UTM Pilot Program iterations.
2. Industry Testing Services: Fee-for-service testing and evaluation services for commercial UAS manufacturers and operators seeking FAA waivers, exemptions, certifications, and means of compliance testing for operations over people.
3. BEYOND Program Operations: FAA-administered program (October 2020 - October 2024) advancing safe integration of drones into national airspace through state, local, and tribal government collaboration with companies and regulators.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MAAP is an FAA-designated UAS test site that provides research, testing, and safety case development services for unmanned aircraft systems. It enables advanced drone operations (BVLOS, operations over people, commercial delivery) through systematic safety case development, comprehensive test and evaluation, and applied research in UTM, counter-UAS, and detect-and-avoid. Services are delivered to federal agencies, commercial drone operators, and academic institutions seeking FAA waivers, exemptions, and certifications.

Product overview

Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) is an FAA-designated UAS test site that operates as a unified service platform offering research, testing, and certification services for the unmanned aircraft systems industry. The organization provides a portfolio of interconnected capabilities including Safety Case Development (systematic risk assessment and mitigation for regulatory approvals), Research and Development (foundational work in UTM, counter-UAS, detect-and-avoid, and AAM), Test and Evaluation (engineering, airworthiness, injury risk assessment, and standards testing), and UAS Test Site Services (flight approvals and operations across diverse environments). These services are supported by physical infrastructure including the Mobile Operations Command Center, Kentland Farm testing facilities, and the Virginia Tech Drone Park. The BEYOND Program represents a major federal initiative focused on BVLOS operations, economic analysis, and community engagement. The organization bridges industry goals and regulatory priorities to enable new drone applications through evidence-based solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• First FAA-accepted means of compliance for operations over people developed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIPC leads Virginia's BEYOND team while MAAP directs operations. This public-private partnership enables advanced drone operations including package delivery, post-event damage assessment, and infrastructure inspection. Virginia won its spot in the IPP through competitive selection in 2018.
• Wing (Alphabet/Google subsidiary)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial partner in BEYOND program conducting residential drone delivery trials in Christiansburg, Virginia since October 2019. Wing's operations from Welcome St. site deliver packages to neighborhoods within approximately 3-mile radius, partnering with Walgreens, FedEx Express, and local businesses.
• U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal commercial partner in Virginia BEYOND program focusing on advanced drone operations for border and security applications.
• Dominion EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial partner in Virginia BEYOND program focused on linear infrastructure inspection applications for utility assets.
• Virginia Tech Center for Injury Biomechanics (CIB)coreTechnology or IntegrationCritical research partnership for developing Means of Compliance for operations over people. CIB's expertise in injury risk and impact testing combined with MAAP's operational UAS knowledge enabled rigorous, real-world test methods. Partnership yielded data supporting groundbreaking FAA waivers.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAAP led complex, large-scale tests in three cycles of NASA's UTM test series. Long-standing collaboration in unmanned traffic management research since 2016.
• FAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAA-designated UAS test site enabling research and flight test operations under various approval mechanisms. Close working relationship throughout safety case development process. Selected for both iterations of FAA UTM Pilot Program.
• Department of DefenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoD partner for counter-UAS system effectiveness evaluation, testing electro-optical/infrared, radar, and acoustic detection devices.
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHS partner for counter-UAS evaluation and assessment as drone numbers exceed 1.7 million registered in the U.S.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MAAPUAS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VirginiaTech
• Facebookfacebook.com/MAAPUAS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vtmaap
• Instagraminstagram.com/virginia.tech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership