The High Energy Physics group at UTA have been developing GEM detector for the use of digital hadron calorimeter (DHCAL) for the future International Linear Collider. As the first step for testing the feasibility of DHCAL using GEM, we have been developing large scale GEM detectors with an intermediate goal of testing and constructing 1x1 m2 size large GEM chamber planes for beam tests. To achieve our goal, we constructed 30x30 cm2 prototype GEM detectors using GEM foils jointly developed with 3M Inc., and the performance tests have been carried out through the past few years. Recently, for multiple channel readout, we have been working on using the anode board with uses KPiX ASICS as the frontend readout electronics. KPiX chip is a charge sensitive preamplifier having ultimately 1024 input channels per chip. In this talk I will present test results on the 30x30 cm2 GEM detector with KPiX readout, which include calibration studies, pedestal run, and data taking with source. A new chamber design concept, in which an effective gas distribution and spacer design is considered, will also be discussed.