Sensor Network for Air Taxis, 'Drone First Responders' and Package Deliveries Will Be Tested in York
County selected to participate in low-level drone traffic management trial
The York County Board of Supervisors took a step at a meeting last month toward helping to build the future infrastructure for drone operations and advanced air mobility (AAM) across the Commonwealth. Over the next year, the county will participate in a test of a low-level airspace sensor network, a joint effort between Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV). The test is part of Virginia’s overall efforts to create a coordinated traffic management system for drones and next-generation aviation.
County Administrator Mark Bellamy noted in a memo to the Board of Supervisors that participation in the sensor network complements ongoing use of drones in York County. “This effort supports the Commonwealth‘s goals for Advanced Air Mobility and will enable future programs such as Drones as First Responders (DFR),” he wrote.
In 2016, a joint effort called the Remotely Operated Vehicles for Emergency Response (ROVER) Team was formed by the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office and York County Department of Fire and Life Safety. ROVER pilots currently use small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) equipped with zoom and infrared cameras, spotlights, and live-streaming technology. The team has assisted in firefighting, search and rescue, hazmat response, and law enforcement missions.
The low-level airspace sensor network that will be tested in York County will lead to a robust infrastructure for multiple types of unmanned aircraft, including drones and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. As these technologies advance, communities across the state will begin to see uses such as delivering medical supplies, retail packages and inspecting infrastructure. Perhaps the most ambitious and eye-opening outcome will be drone-like aircraft that take passengers between cities such as Richmond, Norfolk, and Northern Virginia in a fraction of the time of current travel options.
According to a recent VIPC economic study, Virginia’s advanced air mobility sector could generate more than $16 billion in new business activity and create over 17,000 full-time jobs by 2045. The report predicts new demand for engineers, software developers, and flight operations personnel as AAM expands across the Commonwealth. State leaders believe that investing in the digital and physical infrastructure to manage low-level airspace will position Virginia as a national leader in drone innovation, workforce development, and sustainable aviation.
Elsewhere in the region, James City County announced earlier this year that the James City County Police Department (JCCPD) has begun a collaborative research study with Duke University and Virginia Commonwealth University, funded by the American Heart Association, to explore whether drone-delivered Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) can improve cardiac arrest survival rates in rural areas. The ongoing research, introduced to the County in 2024, aims to assess the feasibility, safety, and real-world impact of deploying drones to deliver AEDs to bystanders during emergencies.
JCCPD’s Drone Team was established in 2021 and is composed of nine certified members. The team has begun regular flight testing from the Law Enforcement Center on Opportunity Way. These tests currently operate within a two-mile radius, and serve as groundwork for potential future AED deliveries once full Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance is achieved. James City County believes that the project represents a major step toward integrating drone technology into their lifesaving public safety operations. The County states that the DFR program’s flights are designed to respond only to 911 or police-initiated incidents, not to engage in proactive surveillance.
The writer used AI tools and these sources:
Agenda - York County Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - October 21, 2025
Press Release: “Virginia Launches Advanced Air Mobility and Unmanned Systems Test Site Program”
JCCPD Launches Drone Test Flights to Support Lifesaving AED Delivery Program
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