The Aerodrome announced yesterday at the International Drone Expo that the world’s first commercial droneport and teaching facility is under construction in Boulder City, NV.
A droneport is a facility specifically oriented around drones. While Rwanda announced a medical supplies oriented drone port last year, that project is not yet underway – but The Aerodrome project in NV is funded, working, and building. And as a training facility designed to create a workforce of trained and certified drone pilots for the commercial drone industry, it has the full support and approval of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
MarketWired reported on the announcement. “Unmanned air systems are inherently different from manned aircraft and require a whole new type of expertise in order to be executed safely,” said Jonathan Daniels, president of The Aerodrome. “This historic development has far-reaching implications, and will bring with it new aviation business opportunities, jobs and a profound new reputation for the U.S. as the world’s leader in Unmanned Air Systems.”
“There are currently over 2,500 companies in the U.S. with FAA 333 exemption to fly commercial drones, and only one place in the world where they now take priority over manned aircraft. This droneport is the model for the rest of the country, if not the world.”
The 50-acre droneport is one of only six FAA-appointed UAS test sites in the country. The Aerodrome is privately operated but open to the public. Its purpose is to provide training for all aspects of commercial drones, including FAA repairman and pilot certification and testing. The center currently teaches online programs from the Aerodrome campus in Henderson, NV. The Aerodrome will also support hobby and recreational model aircraft flight, including specially-made drone racing courses.
Aerodrome is a for-profit subsidiary of Base 11, a non-profit organization providing support for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and training. The Aerodrome is designed to fill the gap between the new commercial drone market and the trained workforce that it will require.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife here.
From my research, the US Army build the first drone port at Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso, Texas.