Sinclair moving forward with unmanned vehicle technology
Sinclair Community College is holding the first civilian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle training class in the region beginning July 19 at its main campus and Tech Town in downtown. The college is hoping to prepare the area’s workforce for forthcoming jobs as a result of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s involvement with the evolving technology.
“I think as we look at the UAS industry, projections are within the next few years it’s going to be a multi-billion [dollar industry]. You know, you hear everything from 12 to 20 billion,” said Deborah Norris, Vice President of Workforce Development and Corporate Services at Sinclair Community College. “We know that it’s going to be an incredibly large market.”
Norris sees the new class, which she believes is the first of its kind in the state, as a tool for the general public and local businesses to become more knowledgeable and adaptable to the future of the emerging industry. The promise the technology has and its potential to rebound a portion of the economy are tremendous in the region, Norris said. It’s a region, she said, that has a perfect recipe for success with UAS technology.
“Dayton is beautifully, beautifully positioned to take a leadership role in the country,” Norris said. “It’s just in our bones.” Following the closing on the Moraine GM Assembly Plant, people in Dayton have been looking for an answer to Dayton’s gloomy economy. Norris thinks this class, and the community embracing UAS, is a step in the right direction for the region.
“I think this is a really good solution. I think it’s a piece to the puzzle,” said Norris, who believes Dayton’s expertise in manufacturing and data analysis will play a key role in UAS success. “It will have legs to do other things.”
The other things Norris refers to, is the potential for part suppliers to develop in the Dayton area to supply the pieces needed for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles. Much like Delphi provided key parts to the former GM plant, parts suppliers will become a key part to the Dayton economy should the technology takes off, Norris said.
While the new offering from Sinclair will not directly prepare attendants for a job in UAS technology, it will lay the groundwork for future training in the field, Norris said. “It gives you all of the components that are involved in the UAS industry and it introduces me to that.”
The new course, UAS 101, has been in development for the past four to six months. The three-day class will look at five areas of operation: UAS ground training, global information systems, systems integration, materials for UAS and aerospace applications and sensors, simulations and demonstrations.
Class size is limited to 25 people and costs each individual $950 for all of the training involved. The training is a unique experience, combining the resources of Sinclair’s UAS Training and Certification Center with several of its UAS training partners.
University of Dayton’s Institute for the Development and Commercialization of Advanced Sensor Technology (IDCAST), one of the nation’s most prominent advanced sensor related research and development centers, the Center for UAV Exploitation, Woolpert, a national leader in geospatial data collection and analysis and Co-Operative Engineering Services Inc., a local UAV manufacturer and services provider, all have made significant contributions to the development of the new course. Some of the organizations also are teaching a portion of the class.
“This is an area that is still very new to many different people,” said Donald Smith, President and CTO of Co-Operative Engineering Services Inc., a Xenia-based company specializing in UAS. “Without the help of the industry partners, it wouldn’t have come together so quickly.”
UAS technology has been growing in the Dayton region since the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson became a central location for UAS development and research.
“Ohio is the birthplace of aviation, and today flight continues to play a strong role in the economy of the Buckeye state. Businesses surrounding Dayton have taken on the research and testing of Unmanned Aerial Systems. Existing facilities like Wilmington Air Park are in a key position to help lead continued expansion,” U.S. Rep. Mike Turner said.
Experts in the field said, while the industry remains heavily devoted to the military functions of UAS with the connection to Wright-Patt, the future is beginning to take shape in the commercial industry.
“The real growth potential is in the civilian market,” Smith said. “There are a number of different tasks that UAVs can do than the current way things do them.”
UAVs would have the potential to perform traffic surveys, assist with disaster relief, provide pollution-sampling data and help with search and rescue missions of local governments, according to Smith.
Emergency crews would have capabilities to send a UAV out to the scene of an accident or other event, and quickly evaluate the situation. After evaluation, the government could then decide the appropriate resources to send in response.
The sensors, as well as other portions involved in UAS technology, allow for the operators of these UAVs to quickly assess a situation and use resources more accurately, Norris said. “It used to be like you were looking through a soda straw. Now you can get a broader, contextual view, and the accuracy is amazing.”
Both Smith and Norris agree, there is huge potential in Dayton for UAS with our strong connections to the industry. Dayton has a history being a center for sensors and advanced materials with the University of Dayton’s involvement, Norris said. Our data analytics, strong heritage in manufacturing and being the birthplace of aviation all will play important parts in our involvement as the technology moves forward, she added.
“There is enormous potential,” Smith said. “The problem is translating potential to reality.”
And reality is just what Sinclair Community College hopes to bring to life, as it takes the first steps in training the civilian workforce of the Dayton region.
