Could drones boost the Oregon economy?

PORTLAND – Unmanned drones could be the next big industry for rural Oregon, industry experts said Tuesday at the Oregon Leadership Summit, doing for this state what the blossoming aviation industry did for Southern California and the Midwest decades ago.

It was a high note of optimism during the Portland conference, as business and political leaders discussed policy ideas and priorities for the 2015 legislative session, while the specter of Oregon's unequal economy hung in the background.

Political leaders especially noted how sluggish economic growth has been in rural Oregon, particularly in counties that once relied on a robust timber industry.

Sen. Ron Wyden said family-wage jobs will be his top priority in Congress.

Gov. John Kitzhaber gave a somber speech on income inequality and how the jobs created in Oregon have not served to pull people out of difficult conditions. The business community needs to do better by Oregon workers, he said.

Among all of the worry were drones — a bright spot in an unclear future.

Oregon has three Federal Aviation Administration-approved test ranges, which span thousands of miles of airspace, in Tillamook, Warm Springs and Pendleton. They are among just six in the United States and the state is working closely the with military to develop the technology's potential.

At the same time, Oregon State University is using drones in research and mapping, achieving results in a day that it once took months to produce.

Brian Whiteside, who supervises the Warm Springs site, said the drones have potential uses including agriculture, fire fighting, and search and rescue. For example, where helicopters can't fly at night on a wildfire, a drone can fly all night long, as no pilot is required.

They can also be used for environmental purposes, such as elk counting and monitoring salmon runs, said Tillamook County Commissioner Mark Labhart.

Steve Chrisman, who runs the Pendleton airport, said drones could create an entire industry across the state. Companies are already manufacturing parts and creating technology flying robots need, he said, and the industry will continue to grow as drone technology improves.

He compared it to the aviation industry in Southern California in the early 20th century. The planes created an entire industry around them, he said.

The group agreed that the biggest obstacle will be legislation and though the public is worried about privacy and due proces, other technology presents the same concerns.

John Stevens, who works with Chrisman in Pendleton, said the key is to "legislate the behavior, not the technology." Drones have "astounding" possibilities, he added, and it is up to lawmakers to eusure they are used responsibly, not curtail their use.

A concensus is that Oregon has a tremendous opportunity with these test sites. It can be a leader in a just-blooming industry if it capitalizes on the moment.

"The world is changing, the world is shifting…what these test sites represent for Oregon is to be a part of that change," Whiteside said.

hhoffman@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6719 or follow at twitter.com/HannahKHoffman