COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio will not be one of the six states with a role in developing the next generation of unmanned aircraft.
Federal Aviation Administration officials passed over the Miami Valley region yesterday as one of the sites for the development of drones in non-military applications.
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman expressed disappointment with the decision.
“Ohio is a national leader in aerospace, and would have been an ideal location for one of the sites,” he said.
Ohio and Indiana had combined resources to form the Ohio/Indiana Unmanned Aerial System Center in hopes of being named one of the development sites, but local leaders say the region is still well-positioned to be a player in the UAV industry through educational programs and existing aerospace jobs
“The Ohio/Indiana UAS Center will move forward with its plans to serve the needs of federal, state, local, and private entities as they continue research and development of UAS,” Portman said.