On Sept. 11, NASA deployed a Global Hawk unmanned aircraft into the heart of Nadine, a tropical storm brewing east of the Caribbean. The aircraft's 26-hour mission was the longest continuous period a storm had ever been investigated. The unmanned aircraft, or "drone" as it is commonly known, was one of two deployed by NASA to study tropical storms. Their ability to fly higher and longer than manned planes offers researchers a brand new perspective on the systems that make hurricane season such a dangerous time for Florida.
This research — which could generate more accurate predictions of their path and intensity, could help us better prepare and coordinate disaster response — is just one way unmanned aircraft can benefit society.
And as this new technology develops and its use expands, it could mean more jobs and economic growth for Florida.
Earlier this year, with the help of Florida Congressman John Mica, a law was passed requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to create a plan to integrate unmanned aircraft into the domestic airspace by 2015. While unmanned aircraft have primarily been used by the military, this law could bring this technology to the aid of police searching for a missing child or senior citizen, wildlife officials protecting manatees, or researchers studying toxic red tide algae.
Part of this plan is to select six FAA test sites around the country to develop and test unmanned aircraft and their new capability to enhance our quality of life. Three compelling characteristics make Florida ideal to win one of these test sites, and the investment from businesses a test site would bring.
First, Florida already has a thriving aviation and aerospace sector. According to Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership devoted to statewide economic development, Florida is ranked second in the country in this field, with more than 2,000 aviation and aerospace companies employing some 83,200 workers. Not only would a test site benefit Florida companies producing the actual aerial platforms, but the many companies that manufacture sensors and other components.
Second, Florida is producing the qualified work force to fuel the emergence of this new technology. We are home to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, a world-class aviation and aerospace education institution offering degrees in unmanned aircraft system-specific fields. Researchers at the University of Florida are using unmanned aircraft for safer, more accurate environmental monitoring, while researchers at UCF have long worked on technology to process the information obtained by a unmanned aircraft. And Florida A&M is a leader in developing technology with which these unmanned systems are equipped. Graduates of these programs and others like them join a talent pool that also includes a large concentration of pilots and other flight operators, making Florida an ideal training ground for those who will fly the unmanned vehicles once their use is expanded into the national airspace.
Third, Florida's geography and infrastructure make it a perfect laboratory for the future of flight. Our diverse natural habitats including the Everglades are perfect for wildlife monitoring. The access to the airspace over the ocean provides an important testing area for missions such as water rescues, harbor security or narcotics interdiction. Not to mention the fact that NASA facilities and our 19 major airports provide an excellent infrastructure for the testing of this technology.
In a report published in 2010, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the industry's trade association, estimated that by 2025, 23,000 new jobs would be created from the integration of unmanned aircraft into national airspace, totaling $106 million in new wages each year. These are high-paying skilled jobs such as UAS pilots, systems engineers and maintenance specialists, among others. Landing a test site could ensure Florida remains a leader in this new frontier of flight.
As a national leader in the aerospace field, it is only fitting for Florida to be the launching pad for this new era in aviation. As the FAA works to get the "test site" program off the ground by the end of this year, Florida should be sure to put forward a winning bid.
Grant Begley serves on the board of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.Florida well positioned to launch a new era of flight