Ventura County secures $550,000 grant to establish Advanced Air Mobility Innovation Center
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – A $550,000 grant has been awarded to the County of Ventura's Economic Vitality Unit to create an Advanced Air Mobility Innovation Center at the Camarillo and Oxnard Airports.
According to Ventura County, predevelopment activities will begin immediately with necessary funding expected to be invested by summer of next year.
The grant is part of a $9 million Catalyst Predevelopment Funding Program from Uplift Central Coast -an organization that issues strategic grants to community projects promoting equity, sustainability, and regional resilience- that selected the Ventura County project out of 35 other regional initiatives to support economic vitality across six counties detailed the County of Ventura in a press release Wednesday.
"This achievement is a testament to the dedication and strategic collaboration among our County departments and regional partners," boasted Supervisor Janice Parvin, current Chair of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. "Securing this grant marks a pivotal step in shaping Ventura County’s future as a hub for innovation and advanced technology. I’m thrilled about the opportunity this creates—not only for the many companies that will benefit from cutting-edge testing facilities and strategic partnerships, but also for the residents who will gain access to high-quality jobs and career pathways in a rapidly growing industry."
Ventura County shared that the Innovation Center involves four key partners:
- Ventura County's Economic Vitality Unit which will manage the Center's programming
- Ventura County's Department of Airports which will provide the facilities and management of airspace testing
- FutureLabs/Fathomwerx which will work as a liaison for technology transfers between private companies and Naval Base Ventura County
- The Ventura County Community College District will develop career pathways and workforce training programs
Naval Base Ventura County recently announced the final environmental review for the construction of a 123,000-square-foot testing and maintenance complex to develop unmanned submersibles and unmanned surface vessels on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense.
"This grant represents a significant milestone in our efforts to position Ventura County as a leader in Advanced Air Mobility and next-generation transportation technology," said Estelle Bussa, Deputy Executive Officer of the Economic Vitality Unit. "Through strategic partnerships with FutureLabs/Fathomwerx, the Ventura County Community College District, and our Department of Airports, we're creating an ecosystem that will attract high-tech companies while ensuring our local workforce benefits from these opportunities."
The planned Innovation Center will feature a 500-square-mile testing range for Advanced Air Mobility at the Camarillo and Oxnard Airports -which are both operated by the County of Ventura- as well as research facilities, business resources, and workforce training explained Ventura County.
The County-owned airports will manage the testing of unmanned aerial systems and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft at the future facility and the testing is expected to be about five percent of daily airport activities stated Ventura County.
According to Ventura County, local businesses will have access to unique testing facilities, naval technology transfers, workforce development support, and new collaboration opportunities in the advanced air mobility sector.
"This initiative demonstrates the power of regional collaboration," shared Keith Freitas, Director of Airports. "By combining our infrastructure with the Economic Vitality Unit’s business development expertise and strong educational and innovation partners, we're creating unique opportunities to advance sustainable transportation technology while generating quality jobs for our community."
