UNCREWED SYSTEMS, ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY, & AEROSPACE
IN HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA
Hampton Roads, Virginia, home to more than 1.8 million people, is the largest metropolitan area between Washington D.C. and Charlotte, North Carolina. Located midway between Maine and Florida, the region’s central location provides access to 47% of the U.S. population, more than 130 million consumers, within a day’s drive.
Hampton Roads is also at the center of Virginia’s world-class aerospace ecosystem. The region and surrounding area are known for nationally significant facilities such as NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia Spaceport Authority, Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy, and the National Institute of Aerospace.
Additional assets include 10 civil and 7 military airports and a highly trained workforce in aviation operations and maintenance. These resources are backed by a vibrant private sector, including companies like DroneUp, Advanced Aircraft Company, and HII Unmanned Systems, as well as regional leadership that understands the area’s potential as a national destination for UxS and AAM R&D, testing, assembly, and operations.
HAMPTON ROADS’ ADVANTAGES
• Significant military and federal aerospace presence in one region
• Vibrant and growing private sector industry cluster
• Large and talented aerospace and UxS workforce
• Key sites and ranges for UxS testing
• Specialized education and training programs from high school to universities
• Strategic emerging industry sector for the region
HAMPTON ROADS, VA
AVIATION ECOSYSTEM
Hampton Roads’ robust industrial and technological ecosystem provides an ideal home for the aerospace, UxS, and AAM industries, which include subsectors from headquarters to manufacturers, and suppliers. In addition to numerous military and federal assets, Hampton Roads is home to a significant cluster of aviationrelated businesses – from companies focusing on weather and air space management to industry leaders like DroneUp and Huntington Ingalls Industries Unmanned Center of Excellence.
KEY COMPANIES
TALENT & WORKFORCE
Hampton Roads is home to a workforce of over 895,200.
Replenished annually by over 15,000+ highly trained and disciplined personnel who exit the military in the region
of Virginia’s exiting military are located in Hampton Roads.
Colleges & Universities 12
Trade & Technical Institutions 21 Students 128,000+
Annual Degrees 25,000+ 92%
Population with a High School Diploma or Higher
of working-age adults have a Bachelor’s degree or higher
The Department of Aviation in the School of Engineering, Architecture and Aviation at Hampton University provides students with preparation for a variety of careers in aviation. As one of only 40 Aviation programs accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI), it ensures students are provided with quality education, training, and expertise that meets industry standards. It is also the first Historically Black College and University with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.
MILITARY
The Hampton Roads region has one of the largest concentrations of military and industrial power in the world. In particular, the region has several Department of Defense installations that focus on developmental aviation, including:
• USSOCOM Rotary Wing programs: Active eVTOL R&D program at Felker Army Airfield (AAF) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis
• Army Futures Command and Combat Capabilities Development Command
Aviation & Missile Center (AvMC): Active eVTOL development / experimentation at Felker AAF. AvMC is the Army’s focal point for providing research, development and engineering technology, and services for aviation platforms
• USAF Air Combat Command at Langley AFB: Developing UAS requirements
#1 STATE FOR DOD SPENDING PER CAPITA
331,000+ REGIONAL DEFENSE JOBS
EAST COAST MASTER JET BASE HOME TO 19 MILITARY BASES + NATO U.S. HQ
100,000+ ACTIVE-DUTY PERSONNEL
VETERANS IN THE WORKFORCE PER CAPITA
KEY SITES & ASSETS
Air Commerce Park at Newport News -
Williamsburg Airport is the only site in Hampton Roads that is directly adjacent and has access to a commercial airport. Air Commerce Park provides a unique opportunity for the aerospace, aviation, and air mobility industries. This site features two developable areas, with Air Commerce Park West having 280 developable acres and Air Commerce Park East having 50 developable acres.
Hampton Roads Executive Airport (KPVG) is a public use, privately owned airport centrally located in Chesapeake, VA. The airport includes over 100 developable acres to support growth of the UxS & AAM industries in Hampton Roads
NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is comprised of nearly 200 facilities on 764 acres in Hampton, VA, and employs about 3,400 civil servants and contractors. Langley works to make revolutionary improvements to aviation, expand understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, and develop new technology. It is also home to the City Environment Range Testing for Autonomous Integrated Navigation (CERTAIN). The CERTAIN range is in Class D Airspace and provides operational infrastructure and opportunities for flights over people and buildings.
NASA Wallops Flight Facility provides flight and launch range services to meet government and commercial sector needs for accessing flight regimes from the Earth’s surface to the moon and beyond. Wallops’ UAV runway is 3,000’ x 75’ with a 5,000 psi concrete pad for VTOL operations. It is surrounded by 75 sq. miles of restricted airspace available 24 hours a day to unlimited altitude.
The Hampton Roads Alliance is dedicated to assisting you with your business investment or expansion needs across our 15 localities.
The decision to invest in a new or expanded operation is never taken lightly. Our goal is to match the business needs required for your company to be successful with the assets found in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Our objective is to facilitate the evaluation process and provide powerful tools that save you time and money as you seek to locate your new business operations in Hampton Roads. Connect with us today.