On June 27, 2022, representatives from the Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy (VISA), the Virginia innovation Partnership Corporation – Unmanned Systems Center (VIPC), the Hampton Roads Chapter of Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (HR-AUVSI), the Hampton Roads Alliance, and NASA Langley Research Center met with the owners of the Hampton Roads Executive Airport (HREA).

The meeting focused on enabling an Autonomous Systems Test Center including an eVTOL/sTOL Test and Operations Center, thus creating a key capability and node for the region to support Advanced Air Mobility.

As part of the Go Virginia UxS Route and Corridor study being implemented by VISA, the HREA has been identified as a potentially very important resource due to its location, current operations and development plans.

The advancement, applications, and economic development opportunity of electric fixed wing, rotary wing aircraft, and applications / operations supporting AAM is crucial to the region’s diversification plans. HREA is currently undergoing a new main entrance, 36,000 sq. ft. hanger project, which could serve as a basis for these new initiatives.

Results of the meeting were very positive, and the HREA will begin developing a Space Act Agreement with NASA LaRC. In addition, a Public / Private partnership together with VISA/ODU and VIPC, Commonwealth of Virginia entities, are in discussion to make this a reality.