Officials push for Xenia UAS development
Tristan Navera Staff Reporter-Dayton Business Journal
Officials say now is the time for developing a Xenia greenfield site into a 163.5-acre hub for civilian unmanned aerial systems development.
About 50 officials convened in a cornfield just south of Xenia Friday morning, and spoke of the potential civilian uses for UAS and UAV technology, notably for precision agriculture monitoring, geospatial and emergency responders. Officials from the city, county, and a number of Dayton businesses and organizations agreed that the potential could be huge.
“This region has a diversity of assets that is really second to none,” said Scott Koorndyk, executive vice president for economic development and operations for the Dayton Development Coalition. “The proximity to the aerospace supply chain, local defense assets, our proximity to research and development. Ohio has been very forward-thinking.”
The 163.5 acre site, tentatively called OVCH Business Park, sits along Union Road and Innovation Way along U.S. Route 35. When he looks at the vast fields of corn, though, David Kell, director of Greene County Department of Development, sees a place where UAV developers could thrive. He said the land would be open to all kinds of business, not just UAV and UAS companies.
“We see a lot of opportunities for this property,” Kell said, noting the proximity to a number of key sites where UAV and UAS technology has begun.
Kell said the lot is 17 miles from Wilmington and 20 miles from Springfield, two areas the state is eyeing as potential launch sites as UAV and UAS test centers. The location is 13 minutes from Interstate 71, as well as 15 minutes from Interstate 675 and 18 minutes from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
At $25,000 per square acre and with water, sewer and electric utilities already set up, it’s a site that has been waiting to see some development, he said.
Alan Anderson, Greene County commissioner, said the land has been eyed for development for some time, and he’s ready to see it break ground.
“We need to put this property to good use, it’s a fine property, but the economy hit us as it did many (businesses),” Anderson said.
The Dayton Business Journal has reported extensively on UAV development in the Dayton region (click here for all past reports).
