Nevada picked among six drone development centers
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:10am
Nevada has been picked as one of six locations to be a center for drone development in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday.
As a drone development site, the state would benefit by providing thousands of jobs with an average wage of approximately $62,000; an estimated $2.5 billion in economic impact in present dollars; and an estimated $125 million in annual state and local tax revenue.
“This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy,” said Sen. Harry Reid. “Nevada has long been a leader in the UAS Industry, and no state makes a better candidate than ours. With this application approval, Nevada will continue to lead in new and innovative technologies of the 21st century, along with creating a large and profitable industry. I appreciate the work of all those involved and I look forward to working with Governor Sandoval to ensure a successful implementation of the award, and subsequent creation of the testing sites in Nevada.”
“Being selected as one of six sites for UAV development in the country is a historic moment for Nevada,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said. “With the climate and air space of Nevada, we are uniquely equipped to help expand the development of UAVs. We have also partnered with private industry and academia to establish the curriculum necessary to create the UAS civilian workforce of the future in Nevada. Our state has been preparing for this selection and we are ready to enter this new era of aviation history. I thank Senator Reid for his tireless work on this issue and the opportunity to work together on this momentous day for our state."
In 2012, Senator Reid led passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, establishing the Federal Aviation Administration program to begin testing for the integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles — commonly referred to as drones — into the National Airspace System. Awarding Nevada the FAA test sites will have far reaching implications on the economy of Nevada. The range of jobs created includes, but is not limited to: teachers, machinists, aircraft mechanics, software developers, electrical engineers, and human resource professionals.
The selection follows Nevada’s application, submitted to the FAA in May of 2013. Nevada’s application included the state as the direct applicant, and a 28 member team including the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Nevada National Guard, Bowhead Systems, Navigator Development and Drone America. Team members, who represented a cross-section of public and private partners, industry and academic leaders, within the northern and southern regions of the state, identified three Test Ranges and four test sites in the State’s Application.
“The FAA designation of Nevada as a UAS Test Site is an incredible step forward for the State of Nevada,” said Steve Hill, Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “It allows us to establish a leadership role and be at the forefront of a new and important future industry. The job creation and economic impact will be significant — growing during the testing phase and expanding as Unmanned Aerial Systems becomes a commercial industry."
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