Tethered drone test system deployed by NAWCAD to accelerate payload development
NewsMay 22, 2025
ST. INIGOES, Maryland. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) introduced a new tethered uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) platform to streamline testing of payload technologies for future uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), the organization announced in a statement.
The system, known as the Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Experimentation Payload System (TULEPS), enables developers to evaluate sensors, antennas, and electronic warfare equipment on a reusable UAV testbed without requiring separate flight clearances, the statement reads.
According to NAWCAD, the tethered design supports longer-duration testing by supplying continuous power, enabling secure data transmission, and operating in a range of weather conditions. It can also be deployed from ships or ground vehicles to elevate line-of-sight systems for communications and surveillance.
The initiative was developed in partnership with DPI UAV Systems and is intended to reduce time, cost, and logistical burden associated with traditional airborne payload testing. The system was recently demonstrated during a two-day training event at Webster Outlying Field, where more than 10 operators from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24 were certified on the platform.
