Sky

Where Advanced Aerial Systems Move from Prototype to Real-World Deployment

At Richmond Field Station, advanced aerial technologies are flown, validated, and prepared for deployment in a controlled, regulatory-aligned environment.

The Platform

The SKY layer at RFS is anchored by the Center for Applied Drone Research - a dedicated environment for testing, validating, and advancing advanced aerial systems. Combined with UCB's applied research ecosystem, this creates a rare, real-world test environment for aviation, robotics, and infrastructure applications.

Who Is This For

Drone and UAS startups, robotics and autonomy companies, infrastructure and inspection firms, public agencies exploring aerial deployment, and academic research teams seeking real-world environments to test, validate, and deploy advanced aerial systems.

Regulatory Environment

RFS is an FAA Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) - one of the only sites on the West Coast, and the only FRIA in the East Bay. What this unlocks: Early-stage testing without Remote ID requirements; Faster iteration cycles for new hardware and autonomy systems; A compliant, designated airspace for development and validation.

Why It Exists

Most aerial systems are developed in fragmented environments - simulation, private sites, or restricted airspace. RFS brings it together: a single environment where aerial systems are built, tested, and validated with infrastructure, policy, and real-world constraints integrated.

Deployment & Use Cases

Where advanced aviation moves from testing to real-world operations across infrastructure inspection, emergency response, logistics, environmental monitoring, and public agency pilots - enabling validation with cities, DOTs, and utilities in real conditions, accelerating deployment-ready systems at operational scale.

What's Available

Flight testing and validation of aerial platforms, autonomy stacks, and sensing systems; drone plus infrastructure workflows across real assets; applied deployment scenarios with safety and policy in the loop; and collaboration with UC Berkeley researchers and student teams.

How to Access the Airspace

We’ve built a clear, structured pathway to move from interest → approval → flight.

1. Establish Sponsorship

All flight activity is anchored through a UC Berkeley sponsor (PI) or approved company engagement.
Requests are reviewed and approved at the site level.

2. Complete UAS Registration & Compliance

Operators follow UC’s standardized onboarding process:

  • Register drone(s) with the FAA and UC
  • Register pilot(s) with UC
  • Review UC drone policies
  • Complete pre- and post-flight requirements

Start here:

(This ensures all operations meet both FAA and UC systemwide requirements.)

3. Flight Approval & Scheduling

Once registration is confirmed:

  • Flights are coordinated and scheduled on-site
  • Airspace usage is managed to ensure safety and availability
  • Teams receive confirmed flight windows

4. Execute & Iterate

With approval in place, teams can:

  • Conduct live flight testing
  • Iterate quickly within the FRIA environment
  • Capture data and refine systems in real conditions

Research with UC Berkeley

Interested in drone and advanced aviation research with UC Berkeley? Explore partnerships, projects, and collaboration opportunities here: