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To Champion the Colorado Unmanned Aircraft Ecosystem

History

The FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) directed the FAA to establish six Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test sites to integrate UAS operations into the air traffic control system. The FY2012 2012 FAA Reauthorization bill mandated opening US skies to unmanned drone flights.

In January 2012, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Adams County Economic Development (ACED), the Metro Denver Economic Development Commission, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (COEDIT), and Front Range Airport (KFTG) agreed to jointly respond to the anticipated UAS test site requirement of the FAA Reauthorization Act.

All parties agreed that an FAA-approved UAS test site in Colorado would leverage the many capabilities and assets of the state into a major economic development opportunity.

The Colorado UAS Team was then formed to respond to the FAA Request for Comments (RFC) and Request for Information (RFI) implied by the FAA MRA of 2012. This team consisted of many who were well-versed in manned and unmanned aircraft systems, as well as leaders of the various organizations and highly respected professionals, notably including Colonel (ret) Stan Vanderwerf, Dr. Brian Argrow, John Huguley, Constantin Diehl, Allen Bishop, Ben Miller, Colonel (ret) Sean McClung, David White, Barry Gore, Vicky Lea, Gary Bartmann, and others. The Colorado UAS Team responded to the March 9, 2012, RFC and RFI on May 8, 2012.

Concurrently, ACED established a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, Spaceport, and Aerospace Authority Colorado (SCAA Colorado) with a division known as UAS Colorado. UAS Colorado is responsible for responding to the impending RFP and management of an FAA-authorized UAS test site. The interim board of the SCAA held its first meeting on October 4, 2012, to approve the bylaws and discuss the operations concept for UAS Colorado. Subsequently, Stan Vanderwerf was elected as the founding President and CEO of UAS Colorado, with Sean McClung elected as founding Chairman of the Board of Directors.

On February 14, 2013, the FAA released a Screening Information Request (SIR) or Request for Proposal (RFP) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site Selection. UAS Colorado responded by developing and submitting a seven-volume proposal by May 6, 2013. The UAS Colorado proposal was supported by 100+ businesses, 8 universities/colleges, 14 airports and flight areas, 7 regional economic development agencies, County Representatives from 8 County Commissions, and many County Sheriffs and Firefighting Departments.

In December 2013, the FAA announced that Colorado had not been granted a UAS Test Site. This necessitated a revision of Colorado’s objectives for the UAS industry. In June 2014, Adams County temporarily transferred all rights and intellectual property of UAS Colorado to Rocky Mountain UAS, LLC (RMUAS) in order to continue Colorado UAS activities for the state and to create and formalize a separate non-profit business league for the UAS industry in Colorado.

The formalization of UAS Colorado as a stand-alone and separate non-profit business league was accomplished with the Colorado Secretary of State in June 2014.

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