♪ ♪ COMING UP TONIGHT, A FORMER RUNNING BACK STAR RETHINKS HIS ATHLETIC APPAREL BUSINESS.

WE'LL UPDATE THE HOT REAL ESTATE MARKET WHICH HAS BEEN TOUGH FOR BUYERS.

AND WE'LL SPOTLIGHT A DRONE COMPANY CREATING A TESTING TECHNOLOGY WHICH COULD DELIVER PACKAGES TO YOUR FRONT DOOR.

ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

GOOD EVENING WELCOME DO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S NEW FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

THINK OF THIS AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS SHOW WITH HAPPENINGS ALL OVER CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF.

DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT HIGHLIGHTS A LOCAL ATHLETIC APPAREL BUSINESS.

DREISSIG APPAREL IS A MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDING ATHLETIC APPAREL TO CENTRAL NEW YORK SINCE 1998.

BUT WHEN THE PANDEMIC REARED ITS UGLY HEAD IN EARLY 2020 - DREISSIG WAS HIT HARD ECONOMICALLY.

OWNER AND FORMER RUNNING BACK STAR, MARC JONES, SAW THE PRIVATE SECTOR SHUT DOWN - A REVENUE LOSS OF 60% TO HIS COMPANY'S BOTTOM LINE.

FOR THE REMAINING 40% OF HIS BUSINESS, MARC HAD TO GET CREATIVE.

MY PASSION WAS IN FOOTBALL.

I STARTED AT NINE YEARS OLD PLAYING POP WARNER FOOTBALL FOR THE EASTWOOD BEARS AND I ENDED UP GOING TO CBA, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY HERE IN SYRACUSE AND I WAS FORTUNATE AGAIN TO PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE.

MY NAME IS MARC JONES.

C.E.O.

OF DREISSIG APPAREL AND I FOUNDED DREISSIG IN 1998 TO DISTRIBUTE AND MANUFACTURE ATHLETIC APPAREL.

EVERY YEAR WE KEEP ON EVOLVING, EVERY YEAR WE KEEP ON GETTING BIGGER AND BETTER.

REACHING MY GOALS AND SURPASSING MY GOALS REVENUE WEISS AND FINANCIAL WEISS WITH DREISSIG AND THEN BAM, 2020 THE PANDEMIC HIT.

I INSTANTLY LOST 60% OF MY BUSINESS AND WITHIN THAT 60% ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT WE TOOK CARE OF.

WE TOOK CARE OF OUR CORPORATE COMPANIES.

SHUT DOWN.

OUR HOSPITALITY CUSTOMERS SHUT DOWN IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

ALL THE SPORTS TEAMS, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, LACROSSE, ALL THOSE TEAMS SHUT DOWN AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WERE COMING BACK.

IT WAS MORE SO A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE ENDED UP LOSING DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LOSING A MILLION DOLLARS OF REVENUE IS UNBELIEVABLE.

WHAT MY SUCCESS WAS, I WAS ABLE TO PIVOT.

TRYING TO ADJUST AND CONCENTRATE ON MY GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

WE WERE SUPPLYING PPE SUPPLIES TO STATE AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ALREADY.

BUT WE DIDN'T DO IT AS MUCH AS WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING AFTER THE PIVOT AND THAT REALLY DROVE OUR BUSINESS AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

SO I HAD THAT 40% REVENUE, BUT FOR ME AND WHERE I AM, 40% WASN'T GOING TO CUT THE MUSTARD.

SO I REALLY HAD TO PICK THAT UP AND THAT'S WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL OF WHAT I ENDED UP DOING.

MY STATE AND GOVERNMENT BUSINESS THAT I TOOK CARE OF, THAT 40%, I INCREASED THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO OF 65% AND I COULD HOLD ON AND KEEP MY COMPANY AFLOAT AT 65% UNTIL THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS REALLY STARTED COMING BACK UP AND NOW THOSE TWO VERTICALS AND THOSE TWO DIVISIONS ARE GETTING IT WHERE WE ARE GETTING BACK ON TRACK PRE-COVID.

>> WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AN APPAREL.

I SAID MARK CAN DO IT BUT WHEN COVID HIT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEED FOR APPAREL.

WE HAVE NEEDS FOR OTHER THINGS AND MARC SAID WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR PPE.

FOR HIM BEING A SALES PERSON SAYING I NEED THESE NOW, A VOICE FOR EVERYBODY.

THEN TRY TO GET THEM AS FAST AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

HE IS JUST TRYING TO HELP EVERY SINGLE PERSON OUT.

I WOULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL AND DO WHAT I'M DOING WITH DREISSIG IF IT WASN'T FOR THE COMMUNITY BACKING ME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE ME IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND THEY HEAR AND SEE ABOUT DREISSIG IN THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY BUT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT MY TEAM.

WE COME TOGETHER AND WE GET THROUGH ALL OF THE OBSTACLES TOGETHER AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE SUCCESS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IF IT WASN'T FOR MY TEAM BACKING ME UP AND RUNNING THROUGH WALLS FOR ME, PUTTING THE EXTRA TIME IN FOR ME, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

WE IN DREISSIG WAS BEING ESSENTIAL.

WE COULD NOT SHUT DOWN.

EVEN IF I WANTED TO SHUT DOWN, WE COULD NOT SHUT DOWN.

MY STAFF IS LIKE WE'RE WITH YOU.

WE ARE GOING TO BE BEHIND YOU AND GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK ONCE YOU GO AHEAD AND DO GOOD THINGS FOR OTHERS, GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN FOR YOU IN RETURN AND I THINK THAT'S WHY DREISSIG IS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH NOW, GETTING BACK THE PRE-COVID NUMBERS AND WE ARE DOING WELL BECAUSE OF THAT.

BECAUSE WE TRY TO GIVE BACK.

>> FOR OUR COMMON SENSE PIECE TONIGHT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD LOOK AT THE REAL ESTATE MARKET WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY HOT HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

JOINING US TO HELP US THROUGH THIS AND WITH A LITTLE ADVICE, CHIP HODGKIN'S WITH THE HODGKIN'S HOMES TEAM OUT OF HUNT REAL ESTATE HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

AND CHIP, I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR OWN ADMISSION, LOW INVENTORY, HIGH PRICES, I DON'T WANT TO DIGS COURAGE ANYONE BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE BEST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> IT'S TOUGH TO FIND A HOUSE, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS ACTUALLY A BETTER TIME TO BUY THE HOUSE NOW THAN IT WILL BE SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR.

MAINLY BECAUSE INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP.

SO IF YOU WERE LOOKING TO BUY A $200,000 HOUSE AND YOU WANTED TO WAIT FOR THE MARKET TO COME DOWN, FIRST OF ALL WE DON'T THINK THE MARKET IS GOING TO COME DOWN.

BUT LET'S SAY THE HOUSE DOES GO FROM 200 TO $180,000 BECAUSE THE MARKET GOES DOWN FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT THEN THE INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO BE GOING UP.

THAT AMOUNT THAT INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP, SAY FROM 4 TO 4.5 OR 4.75, THAT WILL MEAN THAT YOU ARE PAYING MORE ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR THE EXACT SAME HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH IT CAME DOWN IN PRICE FROM 200 TO 180,000.

ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THAT'S HOW EVERYBODY BUYS EVERYTHING.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN AFFORD THE MONTHLY PAYMENTS.

AND IF INTEREST RATES GO UP, THOSE MONTHLY PAYMENTS WILL OUTPACE ANY DROP IN THE PRICE THAT THE HOUSES IN THE HOUSING MARKET.

>> SURE.

I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY DYNAMICS HERE BUT WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK, TOO, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IF YOU ARE SELLING YOUR HOUSE AND WHAT TO DO IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

BUT CHIP HODGKIN'S, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THE MONEY.

WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.

>> TALK YOU TO YOU SOON.

TAKE CARE.

>> UP NEXT, TECH BITES WHERE WE FEATURE NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED OR USED RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST APRIL OF LAST YEAR WHEN NEWS ABOUT A 16 MILLION-DOLLAR EXPANSION AT THE TECH GARDEN WAS OFFICIALLY UNDER WAY.

A MOVE THAT WAS APPROVED BY SYRACUSE'S COMMON COUNCIL.

THE EXPACKS EXPANSION WILL PROVIDE THE TECH INCUBATOR WITH MORE SPACE MEETING THE GROWING DEMAND FROM ENTREPRENEURS AND START-UPS.

SINCE 2005, THE TECH GARDEN HAS BEEN A LAUNCH PAD FOR BUSINESSES BY PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SUCH AS GRANTS AND START-UP INVESTMENTS.

TONIGHT WE SEE FIRSTHAND HOW SYRACUSE'S PREMIER INCUBATOR IS MAKING AN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE REGION WHILE FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURIAL GROWTH.

WHERE WE SIT TODAY, A PARKING GARAGE COLLAPSED IN 1994 AND IN 2004, THE TECH GARDEN OPENED ITS DOORS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY OF ENTREPRENEURS.

THE TECH GARDEN IS CENTRAL NEW YORK'S PREMIER START-UP INCUBATOR OFFERING PROGRAMMING EVENTS AND RESOURCES SUPPORTING MORE THAN 100 MEMBER COMPANIES.

THE TECH GARDEN SERVES START-UP COMPANIES WITHIN THE 12 COUNTY FOOTPRINT RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS ENTREPRENEURS COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TECH GARDEN.

SOMETIMES IT'S A REFERRAL FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTNER, SOMETIMES A ENTREPRENEUR COMES IN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND SOMETIMES IT'S THROUGH A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS INTO ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS.

THE TECH GARDEN IN 2021 HAD 101 MEMBER COMPANIES.

WE BROUGHT IN FIVE NEW COMPANIES THROUGH OUR GENIUS NEW YORK PROGRAM, APPROXIMATELY FIVE COMPANIES THROUGH GENERAL MEMBERSHIP AND ONE NEW COMPANY THROUGH NYSERDA CLEAN TECH CENTER.

THIS IS THE FLAG SHIP PROGRAM OF THE TECH GARDEN FUNDED BY EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDES $5 MILLION IN PROGRAMMING, EVENTS AND RESOURCES.

WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE BY EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT, OTHERS FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE THROUGH SIGH NERDA, FEDERAL GRANTS IN THE PAST AND MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT THE TECH GARDEN WHEN THEY LEASE AN OFFICE HERE AND PAY FOR THEIR SUPPORT SERVICES.

IN 2021, WE HAD AN APPROXIMATE 6 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET, NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WE WORK WITH THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE HOT SPOT PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE A DESIGNATED NEW YORK STATE HOT SPOT, THE CENTER OF INNOVATION THAT SUPPORTS THESE OTHER INNOVATION ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR REGION SO WE'VE GOT COMPANIES LIKE TCG PLAYER AND SPIN CAR AND DIGITAL HYVE, ALL THAT HAD A TOUCH POINT AT THE TECH GARDEN VERY EARLY ON AND YOU CAN WALK DOWN WARREN STREET AND BE AMAZED AT HOW FAR THIS COMMUNITY HAS COME IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME DENSITY IS AN ANCHOR TENANT HERE AT THE TECH GARDEN.

THEY HAVE A LARGE FOOTPRINT.

YOU WILL SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WEARING DENSITY JACKETS WORKING OUT OF HERE WHERE THEY DO THE MARKET OF THEIR MANUFACTURING FOR THEIR HARDWARE AND WHAT IS REALLY GREAT IS TO SEE HOW THE COMPANY HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.

>> WE WOULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED THE SUCCESS ON THIS TIMELINE WITHOUT THE TECH GARDEN AND SUPPORT OF THE OTHER COMPANIES.

IT'S HAVING THE SUPPORTED OF THE COMMUNITY, ACCESS TO OTHER PROGRAMMING.

AND ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT THE TECH GARDEN HAS DONE NOR US IS THE TECH GARDEN PARTNERED WITH US TO BUILD OUT OUR FIRST SYRACUSE-BASED HARDWARE CENTER FOR US TO DO THE ASSEMBLY TEST AND PACKAGE OF OUR PRODUCT.

>> ANOTHER HUGE PIECE OF US ADDING CAPACITY IS PHYSICALLY BUILDING TWO MORE FLOORS ON TO THE TECH GARDEN FACILITY.

>> THE NEW TECH GARDEN FACILITY, WE HOPE WILL REALLY BE A TRUE ANCHOR FOR THE WARREN STREET TECH CORRIDOR WHERE YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF THE COMPANIES LOCATING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND REALLY BUILDING A CENTER OF GRAVITY.

SINCE 2004, THE TECH GARDEN HAS SUPPORTED MORE THAN 192 MEMBER COMPANIES.

AND AS YOU WALK DOWN WARREN STREET TODAY, YOU WILL SEE A NUMBER OF TECH GARDEN GRADUATE COMPANIES WITH A SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT DOWNTOWN.

>> FOR OUR BUY THE NUMBERS SEGMENT TONIGHT, MANY OF US ARE SICK AND TIERTD OF THE PANDEMIC RELATED STORIES.

WE LOOKED AT RETIREES, THOSE PEOPLE RETIRING IN 2021 AND ASKED WHERE DID THEY GO IF THEY LEFT THEIR HOME STATES.

A POPULATION SURVEY JUST RECENTLY CAME OUT AND IT TELLS US WHERE PEOPLE LEFT IF THEY LEFT THEIR HOME STATE.

TENNESSEE.

TOP STATE FOR RETIREES WITH 13% OF THOSE LEAVING THEIR HOME STATE.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, FLORIDA COMES IN SECOND WITH 11% OF PEOPLE MOVING TO FLORIDA.

I WAS A BIT SURPRISED HOWEVER WITH PENNSYLVANIA.

NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON THERE, NO DISRESPECT TO PENNSYLVANIA, BUT FOR PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR HOME STATES, 10% OF THEM WENT TO PENNSYLVANIA.

AND OF COURSE THE CAROLINAS NOT A SURPRISE THERE, I SUPPOSE.

10% IN NORTH CAROLINA AND 9% TO SOUTH CAROLINA.

INTERESTING LITTLE TIDBIT ABOUT TENNESSEE, IT WAS THE MOST POPULAR STATE FOR YOUNGER RETIREES, THOSE UNDER 65 AND SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER 65 YEARS OF AGE WENT TO TENNESSEE.

THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR TONIGHT WE FINISH UP TONIGHT WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WE MEET WITH SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE OR HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL MANY OF US HAVE HEARD OF OR PERHAPS SEEN THESE SMALL PERSONAL DRONES USED FOR RECREATION OR A TEST OF OUR FLYING SKILLS OR MAYBE EVEN TO SPY ON OUR NEIGHBORS.

BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGER, MORE SOPHISTICATED DRONES IS INCREDIBLE.

COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS RANGE FROM TAKING WATER SAMPLES, INSPECTING HIGHWAY BRIDGES, TRANSPORTING EMERGENCY BLOOD, AND EVEN DELIVERING PACKAGES TO YOUR FRONT DOOR.

BUT ONE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN HOW FAR THESE DRONES CAN FLY - AFTER ALL, HOW CAN YOU CONTROL THEM WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE THEM?

THE SOLUTION: A NON-PROFIT CALLED NUAIR LOCATED AT GRIFFISS AIRPORT.

NUAIR'S MISSION IS TO FLY UN-MANNED AIRCRAFT TO PROVIDE SCALABLE AND VIABLE COMMERCIAL DRONE OPERATIONS.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS BOTH LOCAL - AND CUTTING EDGE.

AS NUAIR CEO KEN STEWART EXPLAINED ON OUR RECENT VISIT.

>> ALL RIGHT NOW I'M TUT PUTTING TOGETHER A FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE DRONE AND VERIFYING THAT ALL THE INFORMATION I'M RECEIVING FROM IT IS ACCURATE.

AT THIS POINT WE ARE JUST SETTING UP POINTS SO THE DRONE WILL GO TO THE RIGHT POINT.

AND THEN IT WILL HOVER THERE AND WAIT FOR YOU TO TELL IT WHAT TO DO AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO THE FLIGHT PLAN AND TELL IT WHICH POINT ON THE FLIGHT PLAN WE WANT IT TO FLY TO.

>> CLEAR.

FOR MOST PEOPLE, MOST OF US, YOU THINK OF DRONES AND YOU THINK OF THOSE, FORGIVE ME, ADULT TOYS ALMOST, THAT YOU BUY AT BEST BUY.

THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR FLIES UP WITH OVER YOUR HOUSE.

THIS IS NOT THAT AT ALL.

THIS IS ANOTHER LEVEL UP FOR SURE.

>> THIS IS REALLY ABOUT COMMERCIALIZATION OF DRONES.

THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THE AREA IS THAT IT IS PRO-DRONE.

WE HAVE SYRACUSE AIRPORT WITH THE MILITARY DRONES FLYING OUT OF IT THE ONLY AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY DOING THAT FOR YEARS AND I THINK IT HAS GOTTEN THIS COMMUNITY VERY USED TO DRONES FLYING AROUND.

WE ARE VERY PRO-DRONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

>> NUAIR, IF I CAN DO THIS CORRECTLY, NORTHEAST UAS AIR SPACE INTEGRATION RESEARCH.

IN IN A SENTENCE OR TWO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE?

>> INTRODUCING JONES IN THE AIR SPACE IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN.

AS YOU INTEGRATE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT DIGITAL WITH THE ANALOGUE SYSTEMS THAT WE SEE FLYING AROUND SO THERE ARE NOT SYSTEMS TODAY THAT ARE AROUND TO HELP US INTEGRATE THE SYSTEMS SO WE ARE DEVELOPING THAT WHOLE STACK OF TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING THE DRONES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INTRODUCE THESE UNMANNED SYSTEMS INTO THE NATIONAL AIR SPACE IN THE SAFEST WAY.

>> DO I HAVE THIS RIGHT THAT THIS SPACE THAT YOU FLY IN IS ONE OF ONLY SEVEN ZONES OR AREAS THAT THE FAA HAS SAID OKAY ON?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THERE ARE SEVEN DESIGNATED F.A.A.

>> DOES THIS MAKE THIS ANYTHING UNIQUE, ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS?

>> WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT HERE IS THAT WE ARE THE ONLY ONE OUT OF SEVEN AT AN AIRPORT.

MOST OTHERS ARE GREEN FILL AREAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

WE ARE UNIQUE THAT WE ARE IN AN AIRPORT AND IN OUR CORRIDOR HERE, WE HAVE PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST POPULATION CENTERS UNDER NEETSD THAT.

UNDERNEATH THAT.

>> I NOTICED THAT NUAIR IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THAT STRUCK ME AS ODD BECAUSE WOULD YOU THINK THIS SHOULD BE A MONEY MAKING OPERATION, IF YOU WILL.

>> YEAH, THERE ARE CHALLENGES.

MOST OF OUR FUNDING HAS COME FROM THE STATE IN THE PAST OR SOME GRANTS.

WE ALSO GET FUNDING FROM NASA AND F.A.A.

BUT THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT ARE PRETTY SLIM.

THERE ARE SIX OTHER TEST SITES OR FIVE OTHER TEST SITES IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO IT GETS SPREAD AMONGST ALL THOSE FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO.

>> THEY MUST BE ANTICIPATING SOMETHING-- NO ONE IS GOING TO THROW MONEY AT YOU.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DOWN THE ROAD FOR SURE.

>> WHILE AND WAITING BEYOND THE VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT RULE MAKING WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON NOW, WE THINK THAT WILL BE THE HOLY GRAIL IN THE INDUSTRY BUT IN THE INTERIM RIM WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TESTING OVER THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS AND WE DO MORE TESTING.

>> MOSTLY STATE FUNDED?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> GOVERNMENT FUNDED.

>> YEP.

ON THE WEBSITE WHICH I VISITED, YOU HAVE A BOLD CLAIM THERE THAT SAYS YOU ARE PLEDGING ALMOST TO MAKING THE SKIES SAFER IN THE FUTURE.

HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?

>> ALL THE TESTS THAT WE DO OUT HERE ARE DONE UNDER THE F.A.A.

DESIGNATION OF BEING A TEST SITE SO THE DATA WE CAPTURE, EVERY FLIGHT WE PROVIDE BACK TO THE F.A.A.

SO ALL THE TESTING WHETHER IT'S RADAR SYSTEMS, DETECTION SYSTEMS, THE DRONES THEMSELVES, ALL THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT COME TOGETHER TO CREATE AN AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SIS SYSTEM, ALL THAT DATA GO BACK TO THE F.A.A.

>> THE F.A.A.

MONITOR, EVEN WHEN I WAS WAITING FOR YOU LOOKING AT THE BOARDS IN THERE, LIVE SHOTS OF WHERE ALL THE PLANES ARE IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S BEING DONE TO SOME EXTENT.

HOW DO YOU ADD TO THAT?

>> IT IS NOT BEING DONE BELOW 400 FEET.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THE F.A.A.

DOES WITH AIR TRAFFIC WHERE THEY ACTIVELY MONITOR, REALLY IT'S IN AND AROUND AIRPORTS AT THAT LEVEL.

ONCE YOU GET BEYOND THE AIRPORT UNDER 400 FEET IS NOT ACTIVELY MONITORED.

IF YOU THINK OF THE UNITED STATES IN TOTALITY, PROBABLY ONLY 98% OF THE AIR SPACE IS ACTIVELY MONITORED BY THE F.A.A.

UNDER 400 FEET, VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF SPACE.

WHAT YOU SEE HERE WITH THE SYSTEMS ARE OUR SYSTEMS THAT MONITOR THE DRONES AS WELL AS MANNED AIRCRAFT.

THIS MOTION OF BEYOND-- THIS NOTION BEYOND THE VISUAL SIGHT LINE, THAT'S A KEY THING BECAUSE YOU ARE FLYING THESE UNITS FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION, WAY BEYOND WHERE I CAN SEE.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S LIKE PUTTING A BAG OVER YOUR HEAD AND FLYING IT.

THAT'S THE REALITY.

>> BUT YOU NEED THE DISTANCE OBVIOUSLY.

THAT REALLY BRINGS IN SCALE.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THINGS WITH THE DRONE OR UAV, YOU NEED THE ABILITY TO FLY BEYOND VISUAL SITE.

TO HAVE A DRONE FLY AND DO A BRIDGE INSPECTION.

>> ARE THEY CONTROLLED OUT OF THIS FACILITY?

>> THEY CAN BE CONTROLLED OUT OF HERE OR WE CAN BE ON THE FLIGHT LINE WITH GROUND CONTROL STATIONS AS WELL.

>> HOW FAR ARE YOU LOOKING TO GO BEYOND SIGHT SO TO SPEAK?

>> RIGHT NOW WE JUST CONCLUDED OUR SECOND WHICH GIVES US 35 MILES BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT WHICH IS QUITE A DISTANCE QUITE FRANKLY.

WE WANT TO FULFILL THE FULL 50 MILES.

WE ARE WORKING ON THE LAST 15 MILES OR SO AND WE ARE WORKING WITH SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL BECAUSE IT WILL INVOLVE THEIR AIR SPACE AS WELL.

THAT IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING FOR US.

WE WANT TO GO THE FULL 50 MILES.

>> CLEARLY A HIGH TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS HERE.

HOW DOES THIS 5G, I CAN TELL RIGHT NOW IT'S OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO YOU.

>> 5G NETWORKS OFFER A SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO NETWORK.

SMART AT THE EDGE.

HIGH COMPUTE AT THE EDGE SO YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS FOR PRIORITIES.

AND AS WE FLY AIRCRAFT BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT, THE LEVEL OF CONSUMER NETWORKS WHAT THEY CALL A 5 NINE FOR UP TIME, WE NEED GREATER RESILIENCY SO WE ARE DEPLOYING A 5G NETWORK AND WE ARE TESTING THAT OVER THE D.H.S.

EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING FACILITY OUT HERE SO WE CAN INCORPORATE PUBLIC SAFETY APPLICATIONS WITH THE 5G NETWORK.

>> DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF MEASURING THOUGH, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE AREA?

YOU KNOW, YOU ARE CREATING JOBS I HOPE AND ASSUME BUT WHAT ELSE?

>> WE TRACK ALL OF THAT.

SO WE TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE COME HERE, HOW WE HELP PRIVATE COMPANIES, ALL THAT IS TRACKED IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.

THE OTHER PART WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF HAVING US, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE THRU-WAY AUTHORITY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN USE DRONES TO INSPECT BRIDGES, THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THAT IS MASSIVE.

THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS A $28 BILLION CONGESTION PROBLEM, $14 BILLION ALONE ARE BECAUSE OF UNEXPECTED LANE CLOSURES DUE TO ACCIDENTS OR HIGHWAY INSPECTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ONLY 1.3 BILLION OF THAT IS IN NEW YORK CITY.

THE REST OF THAT AS CROSS THE STATE.

SO EVERY TIME YOU CLOSE A LANE TO DO BRIDGE INSPECTION, YOU ARE IMPEDING THAT COMMERCE SO THERE IS A LOT OF BENEFIT TO NOT ONLY THE OPERATION OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES OF USING DRONE TO INSPECT THAT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE SAFETY OF SOMEBODY HANGING OVER A BUCKET TRUCK OVER A HIGHWAY TO INSPECT A BRIDGE.

>> YOU SAY THE PROGRAMS THAT SETS UP A FLIGHT PLAN TELLS THE DRONE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE CAN GIVE IT DIFFERENT WAYS AND SEND IT INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH THE LAPTOP CONNECTOR.

IT DOESN'T GIVE US LIKE A HAND CONTROLLER SORT OF CONTROL, BUT FOR AUTOMATED STUFF, THIS IS THE WAY THESE WOULD BE FLOWN.

>> YOU MENTIONED SOME COLLABORATIONS YOU HAVE.

CENTERSTATE C.E.O.

BEING ONE OF THEM, CORRECT?

>> WHAT IS THAT?

>> SO CENTERSTATE C.E.O.

IS THE CENTER FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HERE AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SIT ON MY BOARD AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT JUST DOING TESTS BUT DEVELOPING THE ECONOMICS AND THE SYSTEMS AROUND THE DRONE INFRASTRUCTURE SO YOU SEE ITEMS LIKE TECH GARDEN COME UP.

TECH GARDEN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE HAS ABOUT 100 START-UPS THAT ALL GO THROUGH THIS GENIUS PROGRAM AND THEY CAN BE VOTED ON TO ACTUALLY GET MORE INCENTIVIZED BY CENTERSTATE AND OTHERS.

SO IT'S ALL ABOUT BUILDING UP THIS WHOLE ECOSYSTEM HERE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PART OF.

THEY TIE US INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>> REALISTICALLY WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO, WILL THIS BE MORE COMMON?

>> YEAH, EVERY DAY WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE INROADS INTO THIS.

WE SEE 38 STATES NOW DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT HAVE DRONES.

>> WHERE ARE THE OBSTACLES.

>> REGULATIONS?

IT'S ALL REGULATIONS, POLICY MAKING IN D.C. AND REGULATIONS AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THOSE.

WE HELP FACILITATE.

THE DATA WE COLLECT HERE, WE SIT ON THE F.A.A.

RULE MAKING COMMITTEE TO HELP INTERPRET THAT DATA.

>> CAN OTHERS GET A JUMP ON YOU IN OTHER COUNTRIES?

>> OTHER COUNTRIES ARE STARTING TO MOVE AHEAD A LITTLE FASTER.

WE ARE RESTRICTED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAFEST AIR SPACE IN THE WORLD.

GOVERNMENTS ARE GENERALLY REACTIVE, NOT PROACTIVE.

THIS IS ALL NEW TECHNOLOGY.

I LIKE TO THINK... >> ARE WE STILL A LEADER IN THE SPACE.

>> I THIS I WE ARE STILL LEADING BUT WE HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF OUR TOES AND REALLY START LEANING FORWARD TO GET THIS DONE.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS COMPANIES DECIDE TO BUILD OUT THESE SYSTEMS, HAVE THE OEM AND MANUFACTURING GO TO OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY CAN FACILITATE FASTER IN OTHER MARKETS.

IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL THEY HAVE TO BE HERE IN THE U.S. MARKET SO WE RECENTLY SIGNED AN MOU WITH A COMPANY OUT OF SOUTH KOREA TO COME HERE AND START TESTING AND POTENTIALLY TO MANUFACTURE.

OUR THANKS TO KEN STEWART AND THE NUAIR TEAM -- LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM THEM IN THE SEASON.

THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT - NEXT WEEK WE VISIT A LOCAL 70 YEAR OLD COMPANY PROVIDING EQUIPMENT TO SOME OF THE MOST ELITE COMPANIES WORLDWIDE, WE'LL GET SOME ADVICE ON THOSE OF YOU CONSIDERING STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS, AND WE'LL SPOTLIGHT THE SYRACUSE HANCOCK AIRPORT WITH NEWS YOU WON'T HEAR WHILE STANDING IN THE TSA LINES.

SO MUCH MORE COMING THIS SEASON AND IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS, PERSON OR JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, LET US KNOW - CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/ON THE MONEY.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.