Schumer Launches Push To Create First-Ever Dedicated Funding Stream For Federal Unmanned Aircraft Systems Testing Sites Like Nuair In Central New York - Funding Would Allow Test Sites To Further Develop Technology * Perform Cutting-Edge Research

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched his push to create the first-ever dedicated federal funding stream for national Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) testing sites, like NUAIR in Central New York. The NUAIR project, at the very cutting-edge of a rapidly emerging new technology, can become center of technological innovation and new jobs in Central New York, according to Schumer. Schumer explained that there are six sites nationwide, including NUAIR, that would be able to take advantage of this funding to further the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) UAS research goals of helping to fully integrate UAS technology into the national airspace.

Schumer said NUAIR's specialty in developing ground and airborne sense and avoid technology is particularly important to ensuring safety and security as the U.S. works toward this integration, meaning NUAIR could be in prime position for supporting these UAS efforts. Schumer is urging federal appropriators to include $11.6 million in the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for the UAS research program, which is $2 million above the President's proposed FY 2016 budget. Schumer said this additional $2 million should be used for UAS research by the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in collaboration with the six FAA UAS test sites across the country, like NUAIR. Schumer said NUAIR and these test sites around the U.S. were selected for the purpose of developing innovative technologies and best practices for airspace integration and, for this reason, must be able to utilize a federal funding stream to support their efforts.

"NUAIR has put Central New York on the map as a leader in unmanned aerial testing and research, and as they continue this cutting edge research, companies will keep flocking to the Central New York test site, allowing good-paying jobs to take off. One way we can further ensure this test site has the funding it needs to keep jobs in Central New York and remain on the cutting-edge of innovation is to open up a federal funding stream for NUAIR and the test sites like it around the country," said Schumer. "That is why I am urging federal appropriators to dedicate, for the first time ever, federal funds that would be used exclusively by test sites like NUAIR to further develop ways to integrate UAS technology into the national airspace. We need to use every tool at our disposal to support NUAIR jobs in Central New York and this program is a prime example of a smart investment we can make in both our economy and in the safety of our national airspace."

Schumer said these six UAS test sites, including NUAIR in Central New York, offer an important bridge toward integrating UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS), and it is important that these sites are provided with sufficient resources and authority to deliver safe and reliable UAS capability to the nation. Schumer is pushing federal appropriators to provide $11.6 million in federal funding for the UAS Research Program, with an additional $2 million in funding that can be leveraged for UAS research by the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in collaboration with the test sites. This center is a premier aviation, research and development, test and evaluation facility. Schumer said NUAIR's specialty in researching and developing ground and airborne sense and avoid technology means it is well-positioned to utilize this kind of funding in a way that not only supports the FAA's UAS national airspace integration goals but also supports local, high-tech jobs in Central New York.

Schumer has long been an advocate for bringing UAS jobs and technology to Central New York. In 2011, Schumer fought to increase the number of test sites in the National Airspace System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) from 4 to 6, which paved the way for NUAIR to apply. Through local meetings with NUAIR officials, a series of personal phone calls and meetings with FAA Administrator Huerta and Transportation Secretary Foxx, Schumer worked to make the case that the FAA should select NUAIR's application, led by Griffiss International Airport, to be one of the six national test sites for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designation, and the FAA and DOT eventually heeded Schumer's call. Schumer fought on behalf of Central New York because this designation promised to bring jobs and millions of dollars in high-tech investment to the Oneida County region.

The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR) is an organization of more than 40 academic institutions and private and public entities working together to establish FAA designated test sites for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in New York and Massachusetts.

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