Rochelle and Natex work on FAA unmanned flight application

Dennis Rouleau and Robert German, of Natex Research, a Park Ridge, IL, based company, were hard at work Wednesday morning (Dec. 13), with Economic Development Director Jason Anderson at Rochelle City Hall, on Volume 2 of six parts in the application process for the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. Their job – to submit this portion of the application process by 1 p.m. – a deadline they were not going to miss.

Not only is Natex ensuring that all deadlines are met, they’re also working to give Rochelle an edge in the competitive process of applying for the program. Natex brings extensive expertise that make them a driving force for winning the FAA’s approval and for maximizing the implementation of the program.

“This is an extensive application process that, when the city is approved, will allow Rochelle to set the bar for development of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) systems in the country as their use continues to increase,” said German. “Once accepted, our goal is to help Rochelle create a state-of-the-art program that, as it serves as the model for future UAV use in other communities, will position the city as a leader in the use of unmanned vehicles.”

German pointed out that the city has a tradition as an innovative hub. He pointed to the city’s ownership of its own railroad and rail depot, power plant and as one of the first communities to install fiber optics.

“Considering, it makes sense that Rochelle has the vision to stay at the cutting edge with another up-and-coming technology,” said German.

The program will focus on the safe and effective use of UAVs for personal and commercial use, as well as for first responders. Rouleau pointed out that UAVs can play a vital role, for instance, if a child is missing and first responders are searching for the child. He said they can incorporate infrared capabilities that will make them highly functional in such efforts.

“Of course, there are other applications, such as businesses using them to deliver products directly to customers,” said Rouleau. “They can also be used to survey land, for crop inspection and other agricultural applications.”

Natex Research, which won approval from the city for partnership in the project, was founded by Chairman and CEO Andrew Sobko. The final application to the FAA for the program is Jan. 4, 2018.

Photo: (L-R) Robert German and Dennis Rouleau work with Adriana Milan, Assistant to Economic Development Director for the City of Rochelle, IL, as they prepare the second part of the application for the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program Wednesday, Dec. 13.