ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state has launched its third round of a business accelerator program for companies that develop unmanned aerial, ground and marine systems.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the latest round of GENIUS NY will select six finalists for the yearlong residency at CenterState CEO's Tech Garden in Syracuse. The Democrat says they'll receive more than $5 million in investment in the unmanned systems sector.

The application period runs until Oct. 1.

The state has established an unmanned aerial systems research corridor in central New York, where high-tech companies can test drones along a 50-mile stretch between Syracuse and Rome.

Last month, Switzerland-based Fotokite was announced as the winner of the $1 million grand prize in the program's second phase for developing a kite-like tethered drone.

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