FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — All 11 members of the Indianacongressional delegation have co-signed a
letter to federal officialssupporting an Ohio-Indiana bid for one of six drone aircraft test
sites.Thedelegation sent the letter Monday to Transportation Secretary RayLaHood and Federal Aviation
Administration Administrator Michael Huertaon the day proposals were due for test sites for unmanned
aircraftsystems."The states of Ohio and Indiana have both the militaryand civil resources necessary to
be a leader in the emerging UASsector," the delegation wrote.Ohio is proposing thatWright-Patterson Air
Force Base near Dayton become a regional hub fordrone development.The Indiana delegation’s letter also said
the CraneNaval Surface War Center in southern Indiana and NASA’s Glenn ResearchCenter in Cleveland also are
conducting research and development workfor drones."Indiana is the perfect place for this to take
place,"Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., said in a teleconference with reporters, TheJournal Gazette reported
(http://bit.ly/YAzvUj ).Theletter promoted
"the knowledge base of area pilots, researchers andengineers already operating in the UAS aeronautical
specialties," aswell as 11 universities in both states that are partners in theOhio/Indiana Unmanned
Aircraft Systems Center & Test Complex.The FAA is expected to select sites by the end of the
year.TheFAA’s selection criteria include climate diversity. The letter saidOhio and Indiana offer "a
broad array of weather conditions, allowingfor adequate testing of aircraft and equipment in any weather
conditionsthey may experience throughout the national airspace."Congress last year directed the FAA to
implement test sites.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.