Cape May County will be a testbed for unmanned aircraft this summer as hopes build that the emerging technology becomes a catalyst for jobs and economic development in the region.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology plans to conduct a small number of drone test flights in July using an airstrip at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May. Flights at the Coast Guard center will be expanded to full-fledged tests this fall over the ocean.
Cape May County Freeholder Will Morey believes drone testing will eventually shift from the Coast Guard center to the Cape May Airport in Lower Township. That, in turn, would help create new development and jobs for the airport and surrounding area, Morey said.
"I think this is the most exciting opportunity for economic activity in Cape May County in 20 years," he said.
Cape May County and the Delaware River & Bay Authority, the airport's operator, are collaborating to turn the county into a "hub or minihub" for drone testing, Morey said.
"We're really in the infancy of all this," he stated.
In the meantime, the New Jersey Institute of Technology will use the Coast Guard center as a base for drone flights out over the ocean. Michael Chumer, the NJIT professor who will oversee the tests, said the college has permission to fly drones as far as 14.5 nautical miles off the coast.
NJIT, the first New Jersey college granted approval to test drones, will work with the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the state Office of Emergency Management to develop the technology for communications during storms or other catastrophic events.
"With three or four of these unmanned aircraft systems, we could blanket the entire state with emergency communications," Chumer said.
Chumer explained that drones could act like "flying cell phone towers" to link emergency communications and help save lives during severe storms, such as Hurricane Sandy.
"To me, this is important. My passion is homeland security and emergency management," Chumer said. "If I can save one life, I'm happy."
Drones are more closely associated with the military, but the technology is also being eyed for an array of civilian and commercial uses, such as communications, law enforcement, agriculture, fighting wildfires and photography.
Chumer said he is also working with Virginia Tech University to expand his testing to include agriculture, pipeline surveillance and shipping activity. For agriculture, drones could be used to spray crops or help eradicate insects, he noted.
"It could be done much more quickly than a farmer walking through the fields," he said.
Drone testing is the first step toward integrating unmanned aircraft into the nation's commercial airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration currently does not allow commercial use of drones, but is working to set up guidelines by the end of 2015.
In December, the FAA named New Jersey as one of six drone-testing sites nationwide. New Jersey is still in the early stages of selecting the in-state test sites and creating the operating procedures, according to Joseph Sheairs, an aviation consultant who is part of the program.
Chumer will do his drone flights at the Coast Guard center as part of an effort that began before New Jersey's selection as a national test site. He said he plans to fly one or two test flights in July, with full-scale operations beginning in October or November.
Chumer's drone resembles a giant model airplane, weighing 85 pounds and with a 13-foot wingspan. He said it can carry a 45-pound payload.
"This particular airframe has already been used by the military. It's a platform used by the DOD for surveillance and observations," Chumer said, referring to the Department of Defense.
No bombs or other weapons are part of the civilian tests. By flying out over the ocean, the testing will keep the drones away from roads, towns and other congested areas. Eventually, perhaps after a year, the testing could shift inland to the Cape May Airport, Chumer said.
Talks have already begun between NJIT and Cape May County officials about possibly using the airport. Morey, who is a private pilot and a strong advocate of drone technology, said there is "full support" by the county and the Delaware River & Bay Authority for testing at the airport.
"The spinoff effects are employment and jobs - very attractive jobs," he said.
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, also views drone technology as a way to boost economic development. He said thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact are possible through commercial use of unmanned aircraft.
"The opportunities and the quality-of-life issues - areas that this technology can affect people's everyday lives - are just enormous," LoBiondo said in remarks May 15 to an aviation conference in Atlantic City. "Whether it's medical, whether it's agricultural, whether it's disaster relief, whether it's with buildings and infrastructure, whether it's inspections of building projects, it just goes on and on and on."
At the same time, LoBiondo stressed that it will be absolutely important for the FAA and Congress to develop strict rules to protect the privacy of people who live near drone-testing sites. He said residents should not have to fear that drones are being used by the government to spy on them.
Story and photo: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
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