Following our announcement in April that Marshall University and Sinclair Community College will develop Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) curriculum for the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA), Vertx Partners is proud to unveil its role in the project. Vertx’s own Senior Technology Transition Executive, Randy Hefner, will serve as Project Manager for the initiative in Mingo County. Hefner is a Certified Project Management Professional whose 20+ years of NASA experience makes him the perfect candidate for heading the project.
The MCRA UAS education program is a groundbreaking partnership of numerous high-profile entities, including:
- The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority
- The Marshall University Bill Noe Flight School based in Huntington, WV
- Sinclair Community College based in Dayton, OH
- Parallax Advanced Research based in Beavercreek, OH
- CAL Analytics also based in Beavercreek, OH
- Azimuth, Inc. based in Morgantown, WV
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- And Vertx Partners itself, based in Morgantown, WV
Why was Mingo County chosen?
Mingo County, once regarded as “the heart of the trillion-dollar coalfield,” experienced a significant decline in economic prospects over the past few decades. In 1997, the county supported 21,084 coal-related jobs; by 2019, that number had dropped 94% to 1,186 jobs.
“We do not want to see rural America left behind,” asserts Vertx President Sean Frisbee. “We have great young minds in rural America that may not even know they can be part of the aerospace or national defense industry.”
Recognizing the urgent need to revitalize the region, the MCRA worked with Vertx Partners to petition Congress for recovery funds. Fortune favored the effort when the MCRA’s Congressional Direct Spending application was approved earlier this year for a staggering $2.9 million – enough to begin the education program in earnest and jumpstart what MCRA Executive Director Leasha Johnson calls a “workforce pipeline.”
What is the plan?
The MCRA UAS education program is ambitious. Four primary objectives are identified in the plan:
- Procurement of a low-cost, mobile airspace monitoring system. This mobile unit will include multiple operator stations, telescoping masts for airspace surveillance, a communication suite capable of up to 2.5-mile radius operation, operating software for low altitude monitoring and safety, rack and server system, and computer/monitor systems.
- Creation of a WV-based UAS K-16 curriculum. This curriculum will incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning opportunities across the design, manufacturing, flight operations, airspace management, and sustainment of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) assets.
- Development of statewide programs to foster AAM-related entrepreneurship. These initiatives will promote the creative utilization of AAM assets, such as drone filmmaking and “AirCross” drone competitions where teams compete on a range controlled by the mobile system.
- Strategic planning for doubling the impact of the UAS industry. This will include a current baseline of state assets and identifying strategic avenues for economic growth and workforce opportunity.
Additional Details
Azimuth, Inc. is spearheading the development of the mobile unit that will serve as a vital component of the program. Additionally, a state-of-the-art Command & Control (C2) System powers the unit. Parallax Advanced Research developed the C2 System. Therefore, Parallax, alongside CAL Analytics, will install the necessary software, electronics, and simulation capabilities within the mobile unit, providing comprehensive training for academic users.
Vertx Partners and Parallax Advanced Research will continue exploring programs that include industry, the Department of Defense, and academic partners in developing, testing, and implementing AAM use cases and subsequent analysis and reporting.
Vertx will also continue developing an entrepreneurial program to grow activity in the AAM industry – including infrastructure, vehicles, and services – in Mingo County, West Virginia, and greater Appalachia.
“Establishing West Virginia as a proving ground for this sort of technology is crucial to the Vertx mission,” explains Vertx VP of Operations Mary Cook. “If you can solve these challenges in Southern West Virginia, you can solve them anywhere in America.”
Vertx Partners is proud that its own Randy Hefner will lead these innovative efforts in the Mountain State. The development of UAS curriculum in West Virginia is crucial for setting an example for the rest of the country. Finally, Vertx hopes you’ll join us in celebrating this exciting new technology transition in the state’s history.