Sen. Young: Hoosiers Eye Drone, Tech Opportunities
INDIANAPOLIS –Indiana is positioning itself as a growing center for advanced technology and national security work after being named one of nine U.S. drone‑testing sites.
U.S. Sen. Todd Young said the designation is already drawing interest from drone manufacturers looking to test new designs and develop next-generation systems in the state.
Speaking with Inside Indiana Business, Young said companies are contacting Indiana because the testing environment allows developers to repeatedly test and refine drone technologies.
“They’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re very interested in Indiana now,’ because they can iteratively test different designs at this drone test bed,” Young said.
The testing area is expected to intersect with Camp Atterbury, a military training installation in south-central Indiana that officials say offers unique airspace and operational capabilities for testing unmanned aircraft systems.
Young said the effort could lead to new manufacturing and technology jobs across the state.
“We think a lot of Hoosiers will be gainfully employed in coming years building the latest, greatest drones,” he said.
The senator also pointed to Indiana’s broader strengths in biotechnology and advanced manufacturing as key advantages for national security and economic development.
Young said the state is “best in class” when it comes to biopharmaceutical production and biosciences, but added that another critical area for the country is bioindustrial expertise and biomanufacturing.
He said Indiana is well positioned to help lead in that sector, given its existing research institutions, manufacturing base and workforce.
“Bioindustrial expertise and biomanufacturing are areas our country really needs for national security purposes,” Young said. “Indiana is exquisitely poised to offer that.”
