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Air Force, Ohio To Invest In Drone Research At Local Airport
By: Associated Press
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SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — Small drones are being flown in tests at a western Ohio airport as a step toward eventually flying the unmanned aircraft out of sight of their operators.
The Springfield News-Sun reports the new technology has the potential to change national security and defense operations as well as businesses that use drones.
The Air Force and the state of Ohio plan to jointly invest $5 million in research equipment in hopes that Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport will receive Federal Aviation Administration approval to fly drones beyond engineers’ sight lines.
Federal and state officials picked the Clark County airport to serve as the new test site because it’s close to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Regulators have not set rules on commercial drone usage.