New Development of an Aerospace Industry Cluster for Unmanned Aircraft System
Unmanned aircraft systems will soon be part of the norm in Alpena County. The county has been working for 2 and 1/2 years, planning the development of an aerospace industry cluster. The Alpena Airport, the CRTC, the Military Airspace, and the Restricted Airspace have proven to have qualifying assets that assist development.
The airport, under the Michigan unmanned aircraft systems center has been asking private companies, academia, and strategic partners to look over the concept and possibly get involved in the development.
A group of companies and strategic partners are now involved, working on a business plan, helping to move the Unmanned Aircraft System Center from the development level to a start-up operation.
(Cameron Habermehl) What it will do – it will bring in, hopefully, research and development, manufacturing, flight training, pilot training, and anything else that's associated with it.
The project has already signed on the University of Michigan as a research and development partner. The unmanned aircraft system center is also working hard to present Alpena County and the airport as the top unmanned aircraft system cluster in the US. So far, everyone is on board.
For Alpena County to develop a successful unmanned aircraft industry cluster, what would have to happen in Alpena Country in terms of domestic/local competition?