The Chula Vista UAV Training Site Welcomes FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE CHULA VISTA UAV TRAINING SITE WELCOMES FAA UAS INTEGRATION PILOT PROGRAM

Chula Vista, CA, May 15, 2018 – Action Drone Inc., a service and manufacturing drone company for industrial business developments, is thrilled at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announcement on May 9, 2018, awarding 10 cities and/or organizations, partnerships with the government to accelerate safe Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration. Among the 10 announced state, local and tribal governments selected was the City of San Diego, California! As part of the application, specific airspaces were designated for testing and the entire city of Chula Vista alongside 375 acres of open space preserve in the Otay Ranch Region, allocated for a future university were included.

Since 2015, a concerted effort was in collaboration with the City of Chula Vista and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation to address the need for outdoor UAV testing grounds within the county. Action Drone Inc., the first pioneering drone company in Chula Vista, has partnered with the City of Chula Vista, stewarding the 375 acres for UAS and UAV training and testing for commercial companies and organizations who qualify. Companies looking to schedule testing must schedule through Action Drone Inc. and provide the necessary business documents, licensing, and insurance to the City of Chula Vista.

According to the FAA website1, the IPP Program Overview is the following:

The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) is an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to partner with private sector entities, such as UAS operators or manufacturers, to accelerate safe UAS integration. The program will help the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) craft new enabling rules that allow more complex low-altitude operations by

• Identifying ways to balance local and national interests related to UAS integration 
• Improving communications with local, state and tribal jurisdictions 
• Addressing security and privacy risks 
• Accelerating the approval of operations that currently require special authorizations.

The Program is expected foster a meaningful dialogue on the balance between local and national interests related to UAS integration, and provide actionable information to the USDOT on expanded and universal integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.

The final awardees will evaluate a host of operational concepts, including night operations, flights over people and beyond the pilot’s line of sight, package delivery, detect-and-avoid technologies and the reliability and security of data links between pilot and aircraft. Fields that could see immediate opportunities from the program include commerce, photography, emergency management, agricultural support and infrastructure inspections.

Action Drone Inc. is thrilled and thankful for the hard work initiated by the South County and San Diego Regional Economic Development Councils. Recently, conjoining efforts have been made between AD, SCEDC and the UAV Task Force in developing a drone alliance known as the San Diego Industrial Drone Consortium. The SDIDC will be spearheaded by the SCEDC to foster growth of the San Diego drone industry and technology, cultivate cross-industry partnerships, cultivate workforce, advocate UAS test sites and infrastructure, and support integration of drones in the National Airspace System (NAS).

In an interview with The Star News, Darryl Anunciado, CEO of Action Drone Inc., said “we are deeply honored to be leading efforts in creating cutting edge technology programs in the heart of San Diego – a leading aerospace and military city.” Action Drone Inc. services, manufactures, educates, and integrates drones for companies, organizations, and government agencies.

Cindy Gompper-Graves, President and CEO of SCEDC, added “Chula Vista is at the hub of that integration for autonomous everything. So because we’re so progressive, because we have these companies here within our region, we will set the tone for everyone else to follow. The fact that (the CV UAV test site) is located strategically next to High Tech High, as our future workforce being educated from a technology standpoint, this is the perfect location. So we’re really fortunate.”

The South County Economic Development Council (South County EDC or SCEDC), a non-profit organization was formed in 1989 by a group of South San Diego County business and community leaders, to promote education and encourage economic development in the South San Diego County Region.[1] https://www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/uas_integration_pilot_program/

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