New Jersey was selected as one of six states that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will use as a test site for drones, the unmanned aircraft that the government is hoping to find many commercial applications for.
The FAA was urged by Congress to find multiple uses for this type of aircraft and Amazon, the largest internet retailer, already announced plans that it hopes to be using the drones for deliveries within ten years.
One of the initial steps in this process of introducing new technology to the field, a function which the aviation administration has handled for the past 50 years, is to find an appropriate testing ground The selection process is based upon the area's geography, climate, research infrastructure, airspace use, aviation record, safety and risk factors.
Twenty-four other states applied to be used as a testing ground for the planes. In addition to New Jersey; Texas, Alaska, Nevada, North Dakota, and New York were selected, also.
New Jersey was most likely selected due to having four academic programs listed as partners; Rutgers, Richard Stockton College and Virginia Tech with NJ testing facilities are included. The state has a number of military bases that control plenty of airspace, and technical research centers; one a long-time FAA research hub and another run by Stockton College. All these items and others make New Jersey an ideal testing site