Sinclair Leads Nation's 2-Year Colleges in UAS Airspace Access

Sinclair College is the only two-year college in the nation with multiple public Certificates of Authorization (COAs) to fly UAS in designated airspaces and a Section 333 Exemption, which allows UAS flight operations for commercial purposes. Recently, Sinclair's National UAS Training and Certification Center was approved for five new COAs from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), providing airspace access for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations at The Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, Ohio, and the National Center for Medical Readiness (NCMR) in Fairborn, Ohio. 

"These new COAs highlight the value of our partnerships with Ohio State and NCMR and will facilitate enhanced capabilities for everyone involved," said Deb Norris, Senior Vice President for Sinclair Workforce Development. "As we expand the scope of our access to airspace, we are able to conduct new flight operations training and applied research activities in growing fields such as data analytics and precision agriculture, built around our UAS expertise and supported through strong partnerships." 

With these new approvals, Sinclair now maintains 11 active public COAs for operations of four separate UAS types at Ohio State University Airport, NCMR, Springfield-Beckley Airport, and Wilmington Air Park. Sinclair also has a COA pending approval with the FAA that would enable flight operations at the Miami-Oxford Airport in Oxford, Ohio. Additionally, Sinclair's Section 333 Exemption permits UAS operations nationally, opening up the ability to expand the college's UAS presence and engage in commercial partnerships. 

In 2014, Sinclair and Ohio State entered into a partnership to develop pathways from existing Sinclair UAS certificate and future UAS associate degree programs into data analytics and geospatial precision agriculture programs. Additionally, Ohio State students can take general education courses through Ohio State and earn a certificate or degree by taking UAS technical courses at Sinclair. 

Sinclair College is recognized as a national leader in UAS, supported by world-class partnerships, cutting-edge technology, and custom training programs designed to drive the expansion of the UAS industry. Sinclair's curriculum focuses on real-world applications of emerging UAS and sensor technologies through classroom and online instruction, simulation and hands-on vehicle operations.