Board Eyes Unmanned Aircraft Testing at County Airport

ERMA – Freeholders had a resolution on the Oct. 14 agenda to authorize an agreement with American Aerospace Advisors Inc. of Wayne, Pa. “for expert and consultative services to integrate UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) operations into the County Airport and to develop the airport’s suitability for UAS design, testing and operation.) Final action was to take place at the 7 p.m. meeting.

Freeholder Will Morey, director of planning, economic development, education and transportation infrastructure, has been active in securing a firm to oversee capabilities of those unmanned aircraft at the local airport. He told his peers on several occasions that the airport’s location, close to Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, is unique to testing of the aircraft.

At the board’s Sept. 9 meeting Dr. Steven Fenichel of Ocean City asked that the county adopt an ordinance clearing detailing prohibition of drones to engage in surveillance or being armed by police with rubber bullets or Tasers. Morey told Fenichel he would review his proposal.

“It’s my understanding what we are trying to do is bring drones to Cape May County Airport to test. One of the reasons (for selection) is that air traffic is light. When they take off and approach, they do not take them over houses, but they can go out over the bay into the ocean. This is what we are doing,” said Director Gerald Thornton. “We are looking for an industry that would bring jobs to Cape May County. We’re hoping if we become a test site, they would be manufactured here.” He added that the county would not have control of the drones.

Also at the Sept. 9 meeting the board passed a resolution approving a memorandum of understanding between the county and New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey Innovation Institute. It noted the NJIT and county are “in the process of establishing a strategic university research partnership to support and implement an unmanned aerial vehicle research and testing mission at the Cape May County Airport.”

Both parties, it stated, were working “to swiftly develop and submit a proposal in response to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce Community Resilience Center of Excellence Program.” Expiration of the memorandum was 24 months from the state of the agreement.

American Aerospace Advisors, founded in 2002, is, according to its website, “dedicated to creating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for civilian government and industrial customers worldwide. With roots in the space program and industrial manufacturing, we build safe, reliable and effective systems at disruptively low capital and operating costs.”

David Yoel is chief executive officer of the firm. He is “an applied physicist with a 30-plus year career as an inventor, systems engineer, field engineer, production manager, international sales executive, general manager and entrepreneur. His career includes experience with startups, small, medium and large companies across in aerospace and industrial manufacturing,” the website states.