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participation on the technical committee which remains a vital part of the planning process.
Chair Smith stated that the team reconfirmed during its most recent meeting that the master plan
is progressing according to schedule and that the FAA has expressed no concerns regarding the
project's ability to meet the established grant deadlines.
Partnership Reports:
Mobile Innovation Center (MIC). (Exhibit A) Ms. Kingston began her report to the Commission
by stating that the Go Virginia Board approved the Mobility Innovation Center (MIC) project on
March 24th, followed by the Governor's announcement on April 17th and the EDA’s authorization
of the subgrant agreement on May 1st. She reported that the project team is coordinating with the
Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCH) and the Hampton Roads
Executive Roundtable to finalize the grant agreement, after which full implementation activities
can begin. She reminded the Commission that the MIC initiative originated from a Go Virginia
planning grant that funded the development and evaluation of the MIC project concept through a
regional partnership led by the Hampton Roads Alliance. Ms. Kingston stated that for this new
implementation grant, the EDA was designated as the subgrantee, under the Executive
Roundtable as the grantee, and is responsible for administering the implementation grant. Ms.
Kingston stated that the vision of the MIC is to establish Hampton Roads as a national hub for
crewed and uncrewed advanced air mobility systems and the future of traditional aviation
operations. She reported that although the region has a strong aerospace and aviation workforce,
growing military aviation activity, expanding unmanned aircraft system (UAS) applications, and
a robust educational pipeline, it currently lacks critical infrastructure for beyond-visual-line-of-
sight (BVLOS) operations, counter-UAS testing, and shared-use operational assets needed for
training, validation, and regulatory readiness. She explained that the MIC is designed to address
these infrastructure gaps by developing scalable workforce training programs and operational
capabilities. Ms. Kingston stated that the project supports the airport's revenue diversification
strategy, will align with the Airport Master Plan and AirCommerce Park strategy, strengthens
workforce development and STEM initiatives, and advances regional economic development
objectives over the three-year grant period. She also reported that the DOAV fully supports the
project because MIC is aligned with its AAM strategy. Ms. Kingston explained that the
implementation grant is supported by a broad coalition of public, private, educational, and
university partners, along with strong letters of support from federal, military, state, regional,
local, and private organizations. Measurable workforce development and economic impact goals
are built into the project, focusing on preparing a skilled workforce to support future advanced
air mobility industries while establishing long-term sustainability.
Next, Mr. Dan Wolfe of Universal Solutions International (USI), introduced himself, Mr.
Wittges, and Ms. Young, and began his report by pointing out that the MIC is intended to fill a
critical infrastructure gap by providing a shared-use environment for workforce training, testing,
demonstrations, and industry collaboration. Mr. Wolfe stated that regulatory developments by the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including Remote ID requirements and the anticipated
Part 108 regulations governing beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, are expected to
significantly accelerate industry growth and demand for trained personnel and operational
infrastructure, positioning the region to capitalize on future opportunities. He explained that the
MIC will leverage the current radio-controlled aircraft field and the airport's runways to support
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