New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a $9m investment in Skydome, a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) experimentation and test facility in the US.

The investment is part of the governor’s 23rd proposal for his 2020 State of the State agenda.

To be located at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, Oneida County, the proposed facility will facilitate testing of drone technology and techniques, including secure command and control, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, autonomy and sense-and-avoid.

It will also be equipped with emergency management services, damage assessment, and recovery search-and-rescue.

Governor Cuomo said: “New York’s forward-thinking investment in drone technology is placing the Mohawk Valley on the global stage for a growing industry.

“This groundbreaking project will help solidify the region’s status as a national hub for innovation, support our emergency response capabilities and bolster our ongoing efforts to rebuild the upstate economy region by region.”

The investments will be used in converting an unused hangar at Griffiss International Airport into a research and test facility. It will also support collaborative efforts between the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate and the NY UAS Test Site.

A $30m state investment was announced in November 2016 for the development of 50-mile flight traffic management system.

The unmanned traffic management drone corridor between Syracuse and the Mohawk Valley was completed last year.

In July 2019, New York established a partnership with Israel to focus on the UAS industry in Mohawk Valley.