Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) recently announced that the FAA has awarded an alliance of more than 40 public and private entities across New York and Massachusetts one of its unmanned aircraft national test site designations.
The Northeast Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Research Alliance test site will be headquartered at Griffis International Airport in Rome, N.Y., and at Joint Base Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
Test site designation allows unmanned aircraft to be launched, flown, tested and recovered. The aircraft will be allowed to operate in specific airspace regions and will be required to adhere to privacy standards.
Hanna, a member of the House Transportation Committee, said urging the FAA to offer more test site designations has been a priority for the last three years.
“…Promoting Griffiss as a hub for new jobs and innovation is a major part of this effort, and this news is exciting for our region’s future,” Hanna said. “Congratulations to NUAIR for its hard work. It is a great example of how when preparation meets opportunity we can be successful.”
Integration of unmanned aircraft in the airspace will generate more than $82 billion from 2015 to 2025 and will create approximately 100,000 jobs, according to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
The FAA’s decision to award NUAIR with a national test site designation could generate $700 million in revenue in New York and Massachusetts while creating more than 2,700 jobs and generating $26 million in tax revenue, according to projections.