New York drone corridor to test 5G networks

A consortium in the USA will be bringing 5G network technology to New York’s drone corridor, in a bid to fast-track the state’s position to the top of the world unmanned aerial mobility food chain.
New York governor Kathy Hochul today announced on Tuesday that the MITRE Engenuity Open Generation 5G Consortium will be bringing 5G connectivity to the state’s 50-mile unmanned aircraft systems corridor between Syracuse and Rome.
The consortium brings together market leaders, innovative start-ups, industry associations, academics, and government liaisons to solve complex 5G challenges that no one company can solve alone. This 5G research and development collaborative is leading unmanned aircraft systems over 5G innovation with use-case centric development in areas like emergency response, infrastructure inspection, package delivery, and asset management, creating generational technological impact while unlocking massive economic value.
The 50-mile $30-million corridor was opened in 2016 to develop flight traffic management system between Syracuse and Griffiss International Airport in Rome. In total, the state has invested nearly $70 million over the past five years to advance the unmanned aircraft systems industry in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.
And it is this corridor that the Open Generation consortium has determined is a prime location to launch a pilot for the nation’s first 5G unmanned aircraft systems and enhance New York’s position as a global leader in this emerging technology sector.
Managed by the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR), a New York-based non-profit organisation that provides expertise in unmanned aircraft systems and is also a member of Open Generation, the corridor will include an experimentation hub with more than 100 square miles dedicated to 5G beyond-visual-line-of-site testing and long-range flight paths – a capability critical to the commercialisation of safe and secure unmanned aircraft systems.
“Our drone corridor being selected for the launch of the nation’s first 5G unmanned aircraft systems testing range further positions our state – specifically the Central New York and the Mohawk Valley region -as the global leader in the market for this cutting-edge technology,” Governor Hochul said. “Through our continued investment in the drone corridor, we are strengthening and growing our regional economies for generations to come.”
New York receiving the 5G technology for its drone corridor represents a new milestone for the sector’s continued development in the state, the governor added. Within this corridor, strategic investments are accelerating industry growth by supporting emerging uses in key industries, including agriculture and forest management, transportation and logistics, media and film development, utilities and infrastructure, and public safety.
“New York will be the first FAA-designated UAS test site with a bespoke 5G network,” NUAIR CEO Ken Stewart said. “The industry is looking for an FAA and FCC approved communications network that has the capability and reliability needed for safe commercial drone operations. 5G holds the promise of unlocking scalable, economically viable drone operations and we are confident that our work in New York will help determine if 5G is a suitable solution for the UAS industry.”
Both the Central New York and Mohawk Valley Regions have world leading UAS ecosystems and the technology, resources, and economic incentives needed to conduct advanced 5G testing. The U.S. Air Force has been actively flying large, unmanned aircraft out of Syracuse Airport since 2015 and the city has already started preparing for the ‘fourth revolution’ of drones and 5G technology, replacing their ordinary, everyday streetlights with smart ones capable of supporting a 5G communications network.
Rome is home to the New York State Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site, one of only seven FAA-Designated unmanned aircraft systems test sites in the United States. Owned by Oneida County and managed by NUAIR, the site consists of a highly instrumented unmanned aircraft systems testing facility at Griffiss International Airport in Rome and is part of the Syracuse/Rome corridor.
“This first-in-the-nation 5G UAS test range will advance commercial UAS solutions and showcase the transformative potential of 5G,” said Charles Clancy, senior vice president, general manager of MITRE Labs, and chief futurist. “This initiative is a vital part of MITRE’s work to accelerate our nation’s development and deployment of advanced telecommunications technology.”
NUAIR Alliance partners – including New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, DRONERESPONDERS, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services – will help advance the reality of a cohesive 5G network for scalable unmanned aircraft systems operations.

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