The Superior Express -

Earlier this year this area was a buzz with reports of unidentified drones flying about. Various theories were proposed to explain the presence of the drones but thus far we have not learned why they were in the area, or who was operating them.

Drones may become more common if a proposal now being considered comes to be.

The Kansas Department of Commerce is working on building a DronePort initiative in the state. The department is looking for locations around the state to house refueling and support stations. Just as the railroads early steam engines needed to stop every 8 miles or so for water service, It is thought drone ports will be needed every 40 miles or so to serve the drones and other unmanned aerial systems. The drone ports will be on the forefront of drone support for agricultural use, potential package delivery, emergency service and more in our rural areas. Jewell County is thought by local promoters to be appealing for a DronePort location because of less competition for commercial air space.

Comments are now being sought from Jewell County residents on the use of unmanned aerial systems and potential for a DronePort location in Jewell County. County residents are asked to consider taking a 10-minute survey by Saturday, Aug. 1 at https://bit.ly/droneportsurvey. The goal of this survey is to gain a sense of local business’s interest in the adoption of unmanned aerial systems in their business or operations, and the possible value of a local DronePort. The information collected will be summarized, and the summary will be used for planning purposes. The summary may eventually be shared with community leaders and potential funding agencies.

For more information about this initiative, please contact Jewell County Community Development at [email protected] or 785-378-7036.