Consumer Industry

Do you remember the first time you played with a remote control car? Or flew a kite on a windy beach? In the future, UAS will be as commonplace as any other technology that we're familiar with today. Imagine receiving your new pair of shoes only an hour after ordering it online, building and flying your very own aerial vehicle from an assembly kit, or borrowing your neighbor's to help you inspect roof damage after a storm.

The possibilities are limitless, as are the potential profits. Virginia's economy stands to benefit heavily from our UAS industry. Thousands of secure local manufacturing, software design, and retail jobs are predicted to be created within the next few years thanks to investments being made in the UAS industry.

As most farmers and physical laborers will tell you, success is determined by the amount of time and the quality of the tools one has to complete the job. In today's world one person is required to operate each tractor, bailer, and machine in order to complete the task at hand.

In the future, farmers will be able to spend a few hours supervising a fleet of automated farm equipment performing the tasks that before would have taken a week or more to complete. The positive impact this could have on production for Virginia's 45,000+ farms is immeasurable.

And let's not forget, automated vehicles could one day allow for people with mobility issues to visit the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains or take a hike along the James River. Park Rangers could also be able to provide more walking tours of Virginia's historical preserve sights.