Coal Country County's Drone Aspirations Gets Federal Boost

Route Fifty: Attempts to turn a county in a southwestern Virginia coalfield region into a hub for the drone industry got a boost last week from a $2.2 million federal grant.

The money will go toward expanding the existing unmanned aerial vehicle course curriculum at Mountain Empire Community College, located in Big Stone Gap, a town in Wise County. Courses will be geared toward teaching students to use drone technology for commercial and government services, such as surveying, infrastructure inspections and mapping.

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