UAS flight training company Aerodrome is making progress on its plans to build an operational commercial drone airport in Boulder City, Nevada. Construction started last year on the 50-acre site, which will serve as a hub for commercial drone operation in the area and as a place to host the company’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) training services. Though there is still much work remaining, officials from Aerodrome did announce recently that the location is intermittently operational with drones already flying at the site.
On the 50-acre site, Aerodrome will offer maintenance, storage, and other functions available at typical airports. Instead of planes, this airport will cater to the needs of drones and their commercial operators. “The majority will be commercial and private business,” said Aerodrome president Jon Daniels when speaking to PSFK. “We can easily support the development of cargo services and other applications, and are talking with several companies about that very thing.”
The airport location was selected with this commercial operation in mind — it is located near Las Vegas, is in an area with a low tax burden, and offers dry and favorable weather suitable for drone operation. The facility is currently under construction with a phased development plan that allows the company to complete small sections at a time and operate on a limited basis out of those areas while the rest of the airport is being built. The full droneport with adjacent training facility is expected to take up to three years to complete.
Aerodrome is known in the UAS industries for its drone training courses that prepare individuals for careers as commercial drone pilots or technicians. The courses are designed to comply with FAA Section 333, which outlines the minimum requirements for the business operation of a drone in the United States. The company already operates a small training facility in Boulder City on a small 5-acre plot and will expand this service when the new airport is completed in the coming years.
