EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A $2 million federal appropriation will help the University of Texas at El Paso expand its drone testing and teaching infrastructure, UTEP President Dr. Heather Wilson and Rep. Tony Gonzales announced during a morning event highlighting the growing role of unmanned aircraft systems in West Texas and along the border.
Wilson said the funding, secured with the help of U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, will support upgrades at UTEP’s drone facilities in Fabens and Tornillo, which are in Gonzales’ district.
Wilson said the money will allow UTEP to update radar and electrical connections and obtain new counter-drone equipment for UTEP’s Aerospace Center.
Wilson said the improvements will help UTEP provide hands-on drone training for students and partners at the local, state and federal level, with instruction and experience in remote flight operations, mission planning and execution, data collection, mapping, remote sensing and advanced drone operations.
She said the expanded infrastructure will also support other academic areas beyond aerospace, including computer science, criminal justice, electrical engineering, computer engineering, data science and artificial intelligence. Wilson said aerial sensors and the data they generate are used across industries including agriculture, mining, law enforcement, national security and search and rescue. The funding will also help pay for staff and students to assist with teaching and research.
Wilson thanked Gonzales, who represents Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, saying he worked with UTEP to secure the funding in an appropriations bill that was recently signed into law.
“With your support, the university is better equipped to advance knowledge and prepare people for the jobs of the 21st century,” Wilson said.
Gonzales, a three-term congressman who sits on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, said the region should lead on emerging drone technology.
“El Paso is a safe city. El Paso is a warm and welcoming city. El Paso is a city built on innovative research. And at the heart of all of that is UTEP, right?” Gonzales said.
He said he was “very privileged” to partner with Wilson and UTEP on the program and to help deliver the funding.
“We’re not just waiting. We’re not just seeing. We’re not just talking about it. We’re leading and we’re changing the world,” Gonzales said.
Wilson also recognized several attendees, including Ysleta del Sur Fire Department Capt. Mark Martin Dominguez and El Paso International Airport Director of Aviation Tony Nevadas.
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