DriveOhio and the Ohio UAS Center have recently announced a plan to research how drones can assist in traffic control operations.
To develop a low-altitude unmanned traffic management (UTM) system, the strategic plan introduces a new initiative called FlyOhio, which is researching SkyVision with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), a USD5 million ground-based detect-and-avoid radar system at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. Additionally, FlyOhio will explore a second UTM solution along the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor, a 35-mile stretch of highway between Dublin and East Liberty, Ohio, which is already a testing ground for autonomous and connected vehicles and communications.
In addition to FlyOhio, the strategic plan also introduces two other initiatives: Ohio UAS Center Operations to facilitate the use of the technology for a broad range of business services; and Workforce Development to educate and create the skills needed for smart mobility jobs around this technology.
Operating as part of DriveOhio, the UAS Center, located in Springfield, Ohio, serves as the state’s one-stop shop for those developing, testing and deploying UAS technology in Ohio. As both UAS and autonomous and connected vehicle technologies advance, these teams work collaboratively on air and ground-based smart mobility applications, leveraging resources to make smarter decisions and avoid duplicative efforts.
