AX Enterprize of Yorkville and Thales USA have won a $7.7 million Rome Lab contract to investigate how civilian and military unmanned aircraft will safely co-exist alongside manned aviation in the national airspace system, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, announced.

The work is to be done at the Griffiss UAS Test Site in Rome by the companies along with Sherzi Systems, Syracuse University’s Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering and Autonomous Systems Policy Institute, and the Northeast Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airspace Integration Research organization. The work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020.

The project will develop a policy and data-exchange models to help ensure both types of craft can operate close to one another. It’s to involve high-definition air traffic surveillance and ground-based radar technology at Griffiss, according to Schumer’s staff.
AX Enterprize designed, built, and maintain the FAA-designated drone test site operations and data management center at Griffiss International Airport in Rome. Thales is the U.S. part of the European defense contractor and has expertise in air traffic management solutions.

“Safely integrating UAS into the national airspace has enormous economic and national security potential for the United States,” Schumer said in a statement Thursday. “This award proves that there is no better place in the country to harness that potential than right here in the Mohawk Valley.”