A bill that passed the legislature will benefit businesses that operate around military installations. Businesses inside state designated Military Facility Zones would have access to tax breaks and low interest loans. Sponsor Representative Steve Thompson, of Fairbanks, says the change could attract new companies to meet specific military needs in Alaska. As an example, Thompson says there’s opportunity around Eielson Air Force base related to unmanned aerial vehicles.
The legislature appropriated $5 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to collaborate with the Federal Aviation Administration on a UAV research and development program and a possible FAA national test center.
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Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
