The New York Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site has secured\napproval from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly uncrewed aircraft\nsystems – commonly referred to as drones – beyond visual line of sight across\nthe entire 50 miles of airspace within New York’s Drone Corridor. This flight\nauthority will give NUAIR, the uncrewed aircraft systems corridor operator, the\nability to fly civilian drones from Syracuse International Airport to Griffiss\nInternational Airport in Rome without the need of visual observers. The FAA\ndesignation will help to unlock the full potential and economic advantage of\ncommercial drone and advanced air mobility operations, including cargo and\npassenger transport via uncrewed aircraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“New York’s state-of-the-art drone corridor further\ncements the state’s position as the global leader in this evolving market for\ncutting-edge drone technology,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Through\nour continued investment and focus on drone corridor operations, we are\nstrengthening and growing the regional economies in Central New York, the\nMohawk Valley, and statewide for generations to come.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Governor Hochul also announced that the state will be\nproviding NUAIR with an additional $21 million in CNY Rising Upstate\nRevitalization Initiative funding to cultivate the world leading UAS industry\nhub along the corridor in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. The project\nwill allow for critical infrastructure to be tested and deployed to enable\nadvanced industry applications, state agency adoption of UAS, and associated\nworkforce development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
New York State’s uncrewed aircraft systems Test Site, owned\nby Oneida County, is one of only seven Federal Aviation\nAdministration-designated uncrewed aircraft systems test sites in the nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
NUAIR already is assisting a multitude of state agencies to\nintegrate drones into their operations including bridge and infrastructure\ninspections with the NYS Thruway Authority, environmental conservation with the\nNYS DEC and more. This extended FAA designation and additional funding will\ndrive UAS industry innovation in New York State, allowing for the further\ndevelopment of cost-effective, and ecologically conscious drone operations that\nwill supplement vital supply chains throughout New York State. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Governor also announced that NUAIR has entered into an\nagreement with Quebec-based VPorts, a world leader in the design, construction,\nand operation of Advanced Air Mobility infrastructure, to develop the\nfirst-in-the-nation international Advanced Air Mobility Corridor between\nSyracuse International Airport and Quebec, Canada. The corridor aims to build\nan ecosystem that will provide a platform for full commercial cargo transport\noperations using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft or large,\nhelicopter-sized drones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
NUAIR CEO Ken Stewart said, “Today marks a significant\nstep for NUAIR and the state of New York, reaffirming its leadership in safely\nintegrating drones into the national airspace and enabling the next phase of\nAdvanced Air Mobility operations. This 50-mile corridor between Rome and\nSyracuse NY uniquely encompasses all the elements and infrastructure that are\nkey for the commercialization of UAS applications such as inspections of\ntransportation and utility infrastructure, medical logistics, environmental\nconservation, and public safety operations.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Executive Director Jason\nTerreri said, “Our vision is to be the leading commercial service airport\nin the United States for on-airport UAS\/eVTOL operations, infrastructure\nsupport, and development. The timing of this announcement allows us to enhance\nour support of local UAS-focused initiatives and organizations including NUAIR,\nGENIUS NY, as well as many other multi-national companies based right here in\nCentral New York. SYR also aspires to reconnect communities who have been\npreviously cut off from economic opportunities due to a lack of traditional\ntransportation infrastructure. Becoming a partner in creating the AAM corridor\nwill allow underserved communities a new transportation alternative that will\nreconnect those communities and provide additional economic opportunities to\nits members.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
VPorts President and Founder Dr. Fethi Chebil said,\n“The in-depth work NUAIR and their partners conducted as part of a recent\nNASA AAM task order gave us the confidence we needed to select NUAIR to take\npart in establishing the Qu\u00e9bec-Syracuse international corridor, which will\ncontribute to the development, integration, and social acceptability of\nAdvanced Air Mobility. This initiative is in keeping with our ambition and\nvision to build and operate 1,500 vertiports around the world by\n2045.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
New York has worked to establish itself as the nation’s\npremier destination for drones and related UAS industry businesses in the\nCentral New York and Mohawk Valley regions. Since 2016, the state has been\nmaking robust investments to supercharge the industry, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An initial investment of $35 million to develop the 50-mile\nUAS flight traffic management system; <\/p>\n\n\n\n
New York’s ongoing investment in the targeted industry in\nCentral New York and the Mohawk Valley have also led to private investment as\nwell. In 2018, six companies, including two international firms, committed to\ncreating opportunities in both regions following more than $6.2 million in\nvarious state support made available through the UAS Central Job Fund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner\nHope Knight said, “Supporting the innovative technologies and emerging\nindustries that are creating the jobs of tomorrow is at the heart of ESD’s\nmission. Working together with the state’s Regional Economic Development\nCouncils, we are laser-focused on elevating the UAS industry in Central New\nYork and the Mohawk Valley. This FAA designation represents yet another\nmilestone in ensuring the UAS sector’s continued growth in New York\nState.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
FAA Regional Administrator Marie Kennington-Gardiner said,\n\u201cWhat NUAIR learns from its operations over Oneida Lake will help chart a path\nfor routine beyond-line-of-sight drone operations across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The UAS Test Site I fought tooth and nail to secure at Griffiss International Airport has made the Mohawk Valley a critical hub of UAS innovation, advancing critical breakthroughs in cutting-edge tech, and supporting hundreds of good-paying jobs. Now, with this new FAA approval, New York’s state-of-the art drone campus will be flying higher than ever before. The sky is the limit for the innovation and economic potential coming out of the Mohawk Valley and I will always fight to help Oneida County reach new heights.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n