27 unmanned systems
inside
Spring 2014
FAA test sites
The Desert Research Institute, the environmental
research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Edu-
cation, is developing new unmanned aircraft and
studying their use for environmental applications.
The Institute is looking at seeding clouds using
UAVs and at utilizing them to fight forest fires as
well as map changes in plants as they encounter
environmental stressors.
Wilczek said he expects the state to attract
firms that develop and build UAVs as well as
many companies who
make up the supply
chain. Leading UAS
companies Lock-
heed Martin and
General Atomics
already call the
state home as
do Northrop
Grumman, Sierra
Nevada Corpora-
tion, Arcata As-
sociates, and Science
Application Internation-
al Corporation (SAIC).
University of Nevada las Vegas,
University of Nevada Reno, the
Desert Research Institute
The state has no personal or
corporate income tax and there
is no warehouse tax — making it
a cost effective location to store
inventory of all kinds. Nevada
also offers abatements on its
sales tax that would otherwise
run from 6.75 percent to 8.10
percent. In 2012 the state created
the Knowledge Fund, a now $10
million effort to promote research
and research commercialization
in areas of the state targeted for
economic growth. Grants from
the fund can be used to hire and
retain research teams, secure
or build laboratories and as
matching dollars for federal and
private sector grants.
Governor's Offce of
Economic Development
3
INcENTIVES
RESEARcH
cENTERS
4
5
cONTAcT
Thomas Wilczek
Industry Specialist for Aerospace & Defense
Nevada Governor's Offce
of Economic Development
555 East Washington, Suite 540
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Office: 775-687-9900
email: tawilczek@diversifynevada.com
Web: http://www.diversifynevada.com/
key-industries/aerospace-defense/uav
Photo
courtesy
of
University
of
Nevada–Reno
a unr researcher monitors a small uaV.
Photo courtesy of the Governor's Office of Economic Development