Four years ago, Congress, anticipating the emerging economic potential of drones, directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish six national test sites to integrate these unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system.

This integration is a daunting task, as it involves new and unproven technologies, processes and procedures to safely introduce drones into airspace that must be shared with commercial aircraft — and there is no tolerance for risk as the public’s safety is at stake.

The six national test sites were conceived to be places where new technologies, processes and procedures could be tested, refined and validated over a period of several years.

Among the six test sites eventually selected by the FAA from 35 applicants was an entity called the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC), led by the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.

Thanks to the foresight of the Hawaii Aerospace Advisory Committee, the efforts of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s Office of Aerospace Development, and at the urging of our state Legislature, Hawaii became a PPUTRC partner, along with Oregon.

Together, the three states offer unique geographic, topographic and climatic attributes to address airspace integration.

Hawaii is an ideal place to test drone technologies, and can be done in a manner that will have no impact on our residents.

We have ample airspace over water and sparsely populated areas.

Our topography is diverse, including high mountain deserts and lush rain forests.

Also important is that we are blessed with the most benign weather on the planet. Test plans are unlikely to suffer from costly unscheduled weather delays.

By collaborating with our partners in Oregon and Alaska, we have the unique capability to test drones over long overwater flights. The commercial air carriers serving our state have an interest in exploring whether drones can help them route their aircraft with the most fuel efficiency and least turbulence.

Status as a PPUTRC partner and establishment of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drone, range capability in Hawaii should prove to be valuable to the state.

According to a study prepared for the University of Alaska by the McDowell Group in May 2013, partnership in the PPUTRC will bring Hawaii more than $15 million and 125 jobs in the first four years of operations. It is envisioned that within a couple of years, the FAA test sites will be self-sustaining as fee-for-service entities for commercial and government customers.

Recently both the FAA and the National Space and Aeronautics Administration awarded contracts to the PPUTRC to conduct operations in support of airspace integration.

Alaska has provided $7 million in startup funding for the PPUTRC beginning in 2012. Oregon has contributed $3 million beginning in 2013. In Hawaii, our state Legislature passed a bill that was signed into law last July identifying $150,000 for 2015.

It will take from six to 12 months for the Hawaii UAS test site to become operational following the release of initial 2015 funding. Modest additional funding will be required over the first couple of years of operation to establish range infrastructure, hire a few key employees and support business development.

Partnerships will be formed with existing U.S. Department of Defense ranges in Hawaii, and in-kind support will be required from state agency stakeholders such as the National Guard, the Department of Transportation and the University of Hawaii.

The state DBEDT will lead the effort with oversight as provided in state law by a board of advisers representing the stakeholders, to include local industry.

Hawaii, the future is calling.