Recently, the HSU Educational Foundation celebrated the opening of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Center of Excellence. Located on the north end of the Bob Sikes runway in Crestview, Florida, this facility hopes to fuel the advancement of UAS technologies. The HSU Educational Foundation announced on social media that “This opening represents an opportunity to expand on more great STEM and innovation opportunities we can do to support both the military, the industry partners, students, and our community from outside the gate.” 

With access to the runway and a plethora of public and private partnerships, the UAS Center of Excellence aims to provide training and certification, opportunities for research, test flight operations, and evaluation services. This new establishment also plans to further the FieldWerx program, which focuses on developing artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in Northwest Florida. In addition, it will provide mentorships and internships to aspiring aerospace engineers in the area. Their first project, Sky Dreamer, will connect high school and college students with mentors from the air force in order to design an electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft. By providing these opportunities, Paul Hsu, the founder of HSU Educational Foundation, hopes to drive economic development in Northwest Florida and help unmanned aircraft systems integrate into the national airspace. 

The opening of the testing facility would no doubt enrich aviation innovation and STEM education. Cooperation between FieldWerx and the U.S. Air Force through the drone center would grant unprecedented access to resources, equipment, and materials for various endeavors with aviation prototypes and existing technologies. Dr. Paul Hsu’s pivotal role in the opening also demonstrates the importance of AAPI contributions to our society. Particularly, the new UAS center inspires and provides opportunities for countless passionate students in the HSU foundation’s Sparks Scholars program – an afterschool youth program training students in STEM through hands-on experiential activities. 

Hsu founded Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) in 1984 after getting an M.S. degree in Industrial Management and System Engineering from the University of Central Missouri in 1978. MTI served the United States Department of Defense in avionics and battlefield electronics. Hsu later founded three more successful companies after MTI: Total Parts Plus, ActiGraph, and Crestview Technology Air Park. Total Parts Plus was a data-driven tech company that provides engineering services. AcitiGraph was a medical device manufacturer, and Crestview Technology Air Park was a tech company that provided solutions to airport infrastructure. The mission of the HSU Educational Foundation is to promote teaching quality and classroom innovation. The HSU Educational Foundation carefully reviews its support programs and makes decisions with the help of its board members. When opportunities for financial assistance or recognition by an academic award arise, the HSU Foundation solicits ideas and communicates them to the public using internet tools, civic and educational forums, and the media.