Kongsberg Geospatial Deploys IRIS Terminal at the University of Maryland UAS Research and Operations Center

Integrated airspace awareness will support medical drone deliveries between Crisfield and Smith Island, Maryland

KANATA, ON, CANADA, September 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Kongsberg Geospatial announced the successful deployment of IRIS Terminal at the University of Maryland’s UAS Research and Operations Center (UROC).

The capability will initially be used to support the delivery of medical supplies across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith Island, advancing safe and scalable BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations in partnership with UMD’s leadership in uncrewed aviation research, rulemaking, and national airspace integration.

IRIS Terminal provides real-time, map-centric situational awareness by fusing ownship telemetry and multiple cooperative and non-cooperative surveillance feeds into a single operating picture. At UMD UROC, the deployment integrates ownship telemetry via MAVLink with Echodyne EchoGuard^® and EchoShield^® radars, MatrixSpace radars, and PingStation^® ADS-B receivers to enhance airspace visibility and operational safety for the Smith Island medical logistics corridor.

“The University of Maryland’s Smith Island initiative demonstrates how uncrewed systems can deliver immediate, life-improving outcomes for communities while informing the path to broader BVLOS adoption,” said Jordan Freed, President, Kongsberg Geospatial. “By deploying IRIS Terminal at UROC, we’re helping operational teams see the airspace more clearly, coordinate more effectively, and make timely decisions with confidence.”

The Smith Island route connects Crisfield, Maryland, with Smith Island, a community where access to care is frequently challenged by weather and transportation constraints. With multi-sensor fusion, configurable geofences, alerting, and audit-ready data logging, IRIS Terminal equips UROC’s flight operations with the airspace awareness and operational tooling needed to safely plan and conduct complex missions.

Key capabilities delivered at UMD UROC:
• Unified air picture: Correlates tracks from Echodyne and MatrixSpace ground radars with ADS-B feeds and MAVLink ownship telemetry.
• BVLOS decision support: User-defined alerting, track conflict cues, geofence monitoring, and rich mission replay.
• Scalable architecture: Sensor-agnostic ingest that supports rapid expansion of coverage and new sensors as requirements evolve.
Background

UMD’s UAS Research and Operations Center has publicly outlined its medical drone delivery program for Smith Island, supported by State of Maryland funding announced in late 2024. The initiative is part of a broader effort to mature BVLOS operations in alignment with anticipated federal rulemaking timelines and to demonstrate high-value, real-world use cases for uncrewed aircraft in the national airspace.

About Kongsberg Geospatial
Kongsberg Geospatial develops mission-critical software for real-time situational awareness, air traffic management, defense, and uncrewed systems. Its solutions are deployed worldwide to help operators see, decide, and act with confidence in complex environments.
About the University of Maryland UAS Research and Operations Center
The UAS Research and Operations Center (UROC) at the University of Maryland advances research, testing, and real-world operations for uncrewed aircraft systems, contributing to commercialization and integration of UAS into the national airspace.

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Kongsberg Geospatial
Kenza.loulidi@kongsberggeospatial.com

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