13 unmanned systems
inside
Spring 2014
special report
the differences, it was evident during interviews
with the teams that they all had one thing in
common—clarity about what was at stake.
"There are lots of predictions out there for
how much money is going to be invested in
unmanned systems," said Robert Becklund, di-
rector of the Northern Plains Unmanned Sys-
tems Test Site in North Dakota. "Depending on
who you ask the number's pretty big. You hear
a number like $80 billion of investment in un-
manned systems in the next 10 years—so that's
a pretty intriguing number."
The competition was not just about winning
a piece of that billion dollar prize—it was also
about not losing. Officials were keenly aware,
said Becklund, that those states able to create
a favorable climate for the new industry were
likely to siphon jobs away from other locales.
Given that UAS technology could eventually
reshape other industries like farming, the im-
plications of missing out were profound.
With so much on the line it should have
been no surprise that the December an-
nouncement did little to alter the playing
field. Inside Unmanned Systems has inter-
viewed nearly all of the 25 teams. Of the 19
disappointed applicants, at least 13, some
now counting former rivals among their
members, are going forward with their
plans—and more than a few are doubling
down on their efforts.
applied to the
FAA to become
offi cial test sites.
3 teams
3 teams
Of those,
have dropped their plans
or did not respond to
repeated queries and
are joining forces with
other applicants.
Source: Inside Unm nned Systems
By the numbers
25 teams
24 states
from
Photo courtesy of AeroVironment, Inc. www.avinc.com
6 teams
were selected
from the
applicants
by the FAA:
Alaska, Nevada,
New York, North
Dakota, Texas
and Virginia.
19 teams
were not chosen.
13 non-FAA
teams
are going
forward with
plans for test
ranges.