SRC plans to add 1,000 drone-related jobs in next five years

ROME, N.Y. — Cicero–based SRC Inc. plans to add up to 1,000 new hires over the next five years in response to the state’s investment in the UAS (unmanned-aerial systems) industry.

The nonprofit SRC will initially hire 50 engineers following its announcement of a $65 million contract with the U.S. Army to develop a system to detect and defeat small drones.

Details on the SRC jobs were included in a news release that the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo released on Thursday afternoon.

“SRC is pleased that the governor has shown such a commitment to supporting the unmanned systems sector locally. Because of this support, the efforts of CNY Rising and the national demand for UAS related systems, SRC enterprise plans to add 1,000 jobs in the next [five] years. Counter-UAS requirements are creating opportunities contributing to Central New York’s unprecedented growth and accelerating its role as a leader in this technology,” Paul Tremont, president and CEO of SRC, said in Cuomo’s release.

Cuomo on Thursday visited Griffiss International Airport in Rome to announce an agreement between NASA and Syracuse–based NUAIR to “grow” the drone industry. NUAIR is short for Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance.

The agreement “formalizes” a partnership in support of two elements of the state’s unmanned aerial systems strategy. They include the launch of the world’s first 50-mile unmanned traffic-management (UTM) corridor between Syracuse and Rome and creation of NUSTAR, the “most comprehensive” UAS test facility in the nation, Cuomo’s office said. The first phase of the UTM corridor has been completed.

“With this groundbreaking partnership and our $30 million investment for the most advanced drone testing in the country, we are establishing Central New York and the Mohawk Valley as the premiere destination for businesses at the forefront of innovation,” Cuomo said. “By investing in this cutting-edge technology, we are creating a pathway to grow the upstate economy and create good-paying, quality jobs in the industries of the future.”

“NASA’s agreement with NUAIR will provide mutual benefit in advancing UAS traffic-management technologies that will foster innovation and commercialization of this new aviation industry. Our collaboration will support deploying a UAS traffic-management system in the UTM corridor and test site, and give NASA opportunities for testing to advance research and development in critical technologies such as communication, navigation, and large scale UAS traffic management,” the agency said in the release.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com