By Will Morey, Cape May County Freeholder
Cape May County presented its Third Annual UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems/ Drones) Conference Oct. 16-18 at the Cape May Convention Center to approximately 90 attendees. The conference was focused on “Innovation in Drones + Robotix” and was co-hosted by the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce who proved an exceptional partner in producing the event.
The conference was heralded as a leading effort to connect “movers and shakers” in the drone industry, and included a range of participants from single person start-ups to companies such as Verizon Wireless, an entity that has now flown two emergency management/communications-oriented drone test campaigns over the past 12 months.
General Marke (“Hoot”) Gibson, FAA Senior Advisor on UAS, Michael Moriarity, Director, FEMA Region II, and Ron Leach, NJ State Police UAS Special Ops Chairman all contributed greatly to the education content and value of the program which focused on a wide range of topics from Best Practices in Drone Operations and the Regulatory Scene, to Value and Funding of UAS related ventures.
It was a great conference, however, our purposes are more complex and center on “landing” companies to set-up all or a portion of their operations in Cape May County. And, what was once a dream is now showing promise of reality with Cape May County, being progressively referred to as a “Center of Excellence” and a clear and engaged supporter of drone systems development.
Built on the successful foundation of the county’s UAS Forums and Annual Conferences, Oct. 19, 2017 marked the opening of the county’s technology-focused business incubator known as “duneTECH,” of which its first official business meeting occurred at 10 a.m. Four start-up companies including Luftronix (see Cape May County product testing video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahfADAKSOxo) have already committed to become members of the duneTECH, which is located at the re-developing Cape May County Airport and Business Park.
Momentum is important in most endeavors, and it’s hard to deny that it’s picking up steam at the Airport Business Park with seven new companies setting up operations in just the past six months. As a result, a second building with approximately 15,000 square feet of leasable space is slated to begin construction by the first quarter of 2018.
Three-plus years of “seed” have been planted at the CMC Airport Business Park. That investment in infrastructure and relationships is now beginning to show itself in the ways that really count: prospects are turning into tenants and businesses are making a case for setting up operations in Cape May County. This activity means new jobs and new opportunity.
The progress is evident, real and present today. A new industry for Cape May County is taking shape… or, should I say, flight!
Ordered and paid for by CMCRRO, PO Box 1069, Wildwood, NJ 08260
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