Federal, academic, and industry leaders convene in Scappoose to align on statewide strategy for unmanned aerial systems manufacturing development
Scappoose, OR. — May 2025 — Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, Research & Development (OMIC R&D) welcomed Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) to its Scappoose facility on Tuesday for a tour and roundtable discussion focused on the growth of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing across Oregon. The meeting brought together a cross-section of Oregon’s aerospace and advanced manufacturing ecosystem to explore opportunities for investment, infrastructure, and workforce development in the emerging UAS sector.
The Congresswoman’s visit included a firsthand look at OMIC R&D’s advanced manufacturing capabilities after convening with a group of key stakeholders: Dr. Abdy Afjeh and Dean Neslihan Alp of Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech), Joseph Wyno of Oregon UAS Accelerator, a fellow Center of Innovation Excellence (CIE) designee through Business Oregon, and representatives of the Pendleton UAS Test Range, one of the Federal Aviation Administration’s original six UAS test sites.
Discussions centered on the current landscape of UAS manufacturing in Oregon, the state’s competitive positioning in the national and global market, and how coordinated investment and collaboration can accelerate the development of a robust, homegrown UAS industry.
This visit was a meaningful step toward building the kind of alignment between federal, academic, and industry partners that Oregon needs to become a true leader in UAS manufacturing,” said Don Hendrickson, Executive Director of OMIC R&D. “Oregon has the research capacity, the test infrastructure, and the manufacturing talent to compete at a national level, and conversations like this one are how we turn that potential into real economic opportunity for the state.”
OMIC R&D, an applied research organization affiliated with Oregon Tech and designated a Center of Innovation Excellence by Business Oregon, serves as a hub for advanced manufacturing research and industry partnership as well as supporting workforce development. The organization’s work spans additive manufacturing, machining, robotics, and emerging technologies that are increasingly relevant to the design and production of next-generation UAS platforms. The Pendleton UAS Test Range, located in eastern Oregon, provides critical infrastructure for UAS testing and development and has played a foundational role in Oregon’s position within the national UAS ecosystem. Oregon UAS Accelerator, based in Pendleton, supports companies working to scale UAS technology and manufacturing operations throughout the state.