Fort Worth-based Galaxy Unmanned Systems appears to have taken a big step in its development by partnering with a program manager from the Federal Aviation Administration to advance the integration of unmanned airships into the national airspace and develop groundbreaking technologies with the potential to transform the aviation industry.
Included in its agreement with the FAA is assistance with a major, high-profile event “under a nondisclosure agreement” in mid-2025, at which Galaxy will unveil a new unmanned airship, according to a press release.
The announcement this week almost coincides with the FAA’s recent certification of Galaxy’s unmanned airships of 55 pounds and more.
"We appreciate the opportunity to work with the FAA, ensuring safe and effective UAS operations at this scale," said CEO Jason White of the FAA project manager. "This step reflects the commitment from government and industry to advance innovation while maintaining the highest safety and regulatory standards in the drone sector.”
Galaxy Unmanned Systems, a client of TechFW, develops and operates advanced drone technology, specializing in integrating unmanned aerial systems for commercial, defense, and government applications.
"This coordinated effort advances airspace integration for commercial drone operations," White said. "It opens a direct path to Urban Air Mobility, where electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and air-taxi operations will depend on a structured, scalable airspace framework. This is a concrete step toward building the infrastructure needed for Advanced Aerial Mobility.”
It’s been an Odysseus-like journey back into the air for White and Galaxy, one marked by an obstacle course — figurative barbed-wire crawls, endurance drills, and all — requiring uncommon perseverance, patience, and a steadfast commitment to the vision, which has taken two big steps to being realized.
In 2007, the FAA suspended commercial drone operations in the U.S. National Airspace System, halting Galaxy’s early advancements in unmanned airship technology and leaving Galaxy among those pioneering companies in limbo. The FAA cited concerns around safety and security, privacy, and a lack of regulatory framework for unmanned aerial systems. It’s been a slow slog, even with the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which laid the groundwork for integrating drones into U.S. airspace.
The FAA certification of Galaxy’s airships itself seems muddled, considering that it can be taken away at any time, even though it’s good for two years. It is, in fact, White said, more a waiver or exemption.
“It only dictates that they believe that aircraft are likely not a risk to the population,” White said.
So, this project manager appointment by the FAA would seem, indeed, a positive step forward for a business that has been left, up to this point in a “very precarious financial position.” The FAA approval covers the company’s patented Galaxy GC35-E2, GC35-E4, and GC50-E4 models – what the company calls “cutting-edge” airships designed for extended operations, heavy payloads, and seamless integration into national airspace. The company said the platforms open opportunities across commercial and defense applications, including: Surveillance: Elevated, wide-area monitoring for security operations or those at, say, the southern border.
Broadcasting: Improved coverage for large-scale events.
Event Security: Safeguarding festivals, rallies, and high-profile venues.
Counter-UAS Operations: Cost-effective detection and mitigation of rogue drones.
Disaster Relief: Rapid delivery of communication and situational tools to areas hit by hurricanes, tornadoes or fires.
Search and Rescue: Enhanced aerial support for locating individuals. Galaxy is operated by White, a graduate of University of North Texas with a degree in entrepreneurial and strategic management, as CEO and his brother, Tony White, the company’s COO. The brothers were raised in Bedford and went to Trinity High School.
“I didn’t have Texas birthright,” said Jason White, 50, which, he added, “pisses me off.”
“I was born in California and airdropped here when I was an infant.”
The Whites’ father, Ted White, was an innovator in remote-control aircraft. Ted White was a notable figure in the world of “RC” aircraft, particularly recognized for his pioneering contributions to the hobby and his influence on its growth. Enthusiasts and those in the RC community have often celebrated his role in advancing RC technology, specifically in enabling greater precision, range, and reliability, and fostering a global community.
“Ted White went on to design aircraft, compete in RC flying competitions and generally exercised his love for RC aircraft by traveling all over the southwest United States wowing crowds at airfields and airshows along the way,” Tony White wrote on LinkedIn. “It is thought that he was one of the best RC pilots, if not the best pilot of his generation.”
Two impressionable young sons were watching.
The White brothers are making that same hobby a livelihood.
In the aughts, the brothers created and went through several entities manufacturing remote control aircraft with mounted cameras. During that same time period, the Whites were behind the indoor blimps at Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars games that made passes through American Airlines Center during breaks of the games.
“We sold a bunch of blimps to colleges and stuff and that got us playing with blimps and then we took them outside and started to build our own system based off the Goodyear blimp,” Jason White said.
From the years 2003-09, Jason White said, the brothers “kind of perfected” their lighter-than-air airship. In fact, by 2008, after almost a decade of research and development, Galaxy was poised to deliver high definition “broadcast quality” images from their blimps for sporting events.
Then Uncle Sam paid them a visit by certified mail.
“When we got our cease-and-desist letter," White said, "we were literally at the Bristol, Connecticut, headquarters for ESPN doing demonstrations for producers for college sports because they were going to start having us do all college football.”
The brothers re-started the company in 2014. They’ve been working for other people, mostly in government contracts.
With recent events, however, it appears the control tower might soon give them the green light to take off and fulfill its full potential. It’s been a long time coming.
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