Griffiss International Airport in Rome has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration as one of six sites nationwide to test unmanned aircraft.

That announcement coming today from Congressman Richard Hanna.

The test site will be headquartered at Griffiss and Joint Base Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says the announcement is great news for the county and the region.

The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance could generate nearly $700 million in New York and Massachusetts.

Picente says in New York state alone,  the site will create an estmated 470 jobs and have an economic impact of 1$45 million.

He says operations at Griffiss are expected to begin sometime in 2015.

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