Junction City Chamber of Commerce President Mickey Fornaro-Dean and Military Affairs Council Director Craig Bender recently traveled to Salina for a conference on Unmanned Aerial Systems ( drones ).

Bender feels it’s an upcoming industry. “Between the several types of UAS that we have on Fort Riley I think we have pilots available as well as the Kansas State Polytechnic Institute with their aviation program. Provides a good pipeline of pilots for UAS so I think it’s a good opportunity where we could bring business here.”

Fornaro – Dean noted a few Kansas communities had representatives in attendance at the conference while the state of Oklahoma was represented in force. Fornaro – Dean said right now the Junction City Chamber officials are learning more about the industry. “It’s very much a growing industry. We’re on the front side of that industry and so we want to make sure that we’re on the front side, knowing what our opportunities are, what our applications are, so it was a good learning experience. We made some really good contacts, more to follow.”