Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval toured the Drone America facility on Thursday in Reno, Nevada as part of a campaign to visit local businesses in the area. Sandoval was greeted by Drone America CEO and President Mike Richards as well as several engineers of the company. “Everything you see here is made in Nevada, including the Ground Control Station trailer,” said Richards. As the Governor walked through the facility, several local agencies including the Desert Research Institute and University of Nevada Reno voiced support for the company and the technology for research and disaster management.
“If someone was lost in freezing weather, local authorities could send one of these up to help aid the search which would be a big asset,” Sandoval said. Richards mentioned how drone technology can have a major impact on wildfire safety.
“During a wildfire, we could use a short wave infrared (SWIR) camera to look through the smoke and help aid trapped firefighters by telling them where to escape to,” Richards said. Nevada is one of 24 states that have applied to become a Federal Aviation Administration’s test site. Only six sites will be picked, which will be announced by the end of December.
