Drones may be tested at Grant County Airport
Unmanned aerial aircraft, or drones, may be seen flying in Grant County if the Moses Lake is selected as the testing site.
MOSES LAKE - With one of the largest airfields in the U.S., Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake is being considered as a site for testing drones, or unmanned aircraft systems.
A group of Washington-based organizations will be submitting the final section of a proposal for the facility.
The proposal must be submitted by May 6, Port of Moses Lake Commissioner Kent Jones said Saturday.
Innovate Washington and the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest Laboratory in Richland have teamed with 10 other state, county and private sector partners in hopes of being one of the six locations selected to do research.
Each site will conduct analytical research and tests that hopefully will accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system.
"Our testing and proving facilities include all elements industry will need to safely conduct sophisticated research and development activities," said Steve Stein, PNNL project manager.
Stein explained that Washington's proposal has all the necessities for conducting this type of research.
The Army and Navy use Grant County International Airport for testing and training, according to the Port of Moses Lake's website. Boeing has also does flight testing and training in Moses Lake.
If the proposal is successful, Grant County International Airport will be the primary location for the flight center's office and facilities.
There are also other locations in Washington where testing can occur such as Grays Harbor where the aircraft can be flown over the Pacific Ocean.
The Washington group hopes that after extensive testing the unmanned aircrafts can be used in search and rescue, weather data collection, agriculture crop management, avalanche control and snow pack analysis.
"Siting a new flight center in central Washington will allow the state to build off of the established strengths of its thriving aerospace industry," said Bart Phillips, vice president for economic development for Innovate Washington.
According to Phillips, the proposed flight center would provide commercial growth in the aerospace sector by attracting research and development funds, providing cost-effective, safe testing sites as well as creating more companies and jobs in Washington.
The FAA will make a decision on the flight center proposal by Dec. 31.