Island University Celebrates FAA’s Economic Impact on the Coastal Bend

FAA UAS Test Site Citywide Celebration to be held Jan. 13

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will celebrate the economic impact of being designated an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test site by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during the “FAA UAS Test Site Citywide Celebration” on Monday, Jan. 13, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Brewster Street Ice House, 1724 N. Tancahua St. in downtown Corpus Christi. The event is free and open to the public. The first 500 attendees will receive a balsa wood plane.

As part of the celebration, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will thank the community of Corpus Christi and its leaders, who have recognized the importance of bringing this type of research to the area and have been very supportive of the proposal. The celebration comes just two weeks after the FAA’s announcement Dec. 30 naming Texas as one of six test sites for UAS.

This historic decision will have huge financial implications for the entire state of Texas, especially South Texas. Much of the expected economic benefit will center on the Coastal Bend.

The Association of Unmanned Vehicles International published an economic impact study in March projecting, once airspace is opened to UAS, the economic impact would be about $8 billion statewide, and $260 million in South Texas over the next 10 years; creating about 1,200 jobs. For more information, click HERE.