Henderson recently became home to the state’s first Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) urban test site through a new partnership with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Nevada State College.
The Henderson Unmanned Vehicle Range (HUVR) at Nevada State College provides commercial UAS designers and operators a unique location where they can test their products in a safe and accessible environment. In addition, experts from the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) provide Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory guidance as well as UAS flight support and coordination for UAS companies conducting testing, development and training.
The HUVR has been developed on the property of Nevada State College in Henderson with the support of the city.
Recently, the site played host to a pre-show event for attendees of Interdrone 2017. Interdrone, currently in its 3rd year of exhibition, opted to partner with NIAS, Nevada State College, and the City of Henderson to utilize HUVR as an opportunity for exhibitors wishing to take advantage of an open air site with close proximity to McCarran Airport and the strip, to demonstrate their technology in front of a live crowd.
“It is an honor for Nevada State College to support our governor, state and City of Henderson on this core strategic sector initiative by being the host venue for Nevada’s first urban drone test site,” Nevada State College president Bart Patterson said. “This partnership is reflective of our values including STEM advancement, economic development, and collaboration with the community in which we serve.”
In 2013, the FAA selected Nevada as one of six designated UAS test site operators. The FAA created the test sites to encourage the integration of drones into air traffic systems. NIAS is responsible for the management of the FAA designated Nevada UAS Test Site.
For more information about Nevada’s growing UAS industry, please visit the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and NIAS.