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    5.    
AIRPORTS COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 03/08/2023  
Subject:    Update on Bay Area test Site (BATS) activity, Buchanan Field and Byron Airport
Submitted For: AIRPORTS COMMITTEE
Department: Airports  
Referral No.:  
Referral Name:
Presenter: Contact:

Information
Referral History:
On January 16, 2018, the Board of Supervisors (Board) ratified the execution of a Letter of Intent between the County and the California Department of Technology to partner in participating in the FAA-sponsored Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP). District III, District IV, and Public Works Department – Airports staff continues to explore business opportunities with UAS companies. On March 10, 2020, the Board authorized a Master Administrative Agreement with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to establish a partnership through which Buchanan Field and Byron airports will be included in the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex.

Referral Update:
Airport staff continues to market UAS and AI opportunities at Buchanan Field and Byron Airports. Requests for testing at Byron and Buchanan Field Airports are received on a semi-regular basis. Elroy Air, a subtenant of Urban Air Mobility has conducted testing operations at Byron, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Similarly, MightyFly has been and is expected to continue their testing operations. Airports staff has also been working with companies such as Opener and Pyka who have expressed interest in testing at Byron Airport. As each operator has different needs, including the desire for exclusive runway use, Airport Staff is working closely with each entity to best meet their needs while maintaining airport safety and operational considerations. Because this is such a dynamic field with a myriad of needs by each company, staff continues to research and make administrative changes to the program.


XWing, based at Buchanan Field continues to develop and test their aircraft and has expressed interest in growing their business at Buchanan Field. As a part of that desire, they have expanded their current operations that exist within a hangar on the east side of the field, to include occupying a second hangar on the west side.






Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
Discuss the Airport Innovation and Business Attraction Program, Buchanan Field and Byron Airport. Continue to work with various UAS entities to explore business and partnership opportunities.
Airports staff will continue to refine the “BATS Program,” and part of that effort will include a more sustainable revenue model for those companies testing at either airport.

Fiscal Impact (if any):
The fiscal impact has been limited to the Airport Enterprise Fund and associated with staff time.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.

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