The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport will become a real-world testing ground for drones, air taxis and other next-generation aerial technology under a new agreement with Sinclair Community College announced Aug. 12.
The memorandum of understanding, reported by NKY Tribune, gives Sinclair students and faculty access to CVG's commercial airport infrastructure in Hebron to observe and test uncrewed aerial systems and Advanced Air Mobility vehicles. In return, CVG gains access to Sinclair's nationally recognized aviation research programs, emerging technology solutions and a pipeline of trained aerospace workers for Boone County employers.
No dollar figure was attached to the deal.
CVG CEO Larry Krauter said the collaboration will prepare the airport for a multi-state deployment of next-generation aerial technologies while building a skilled workforce to support them. The deal is CVG's third innovation partnership announced in August. The airport signed an agreement with Germany's GATE Alliance on Aug. 1, and Eastern Kentucky University announced an air traffic controller pipeline program tied to CVG on Aug. 6.
The MOU outlines three areas of work: drone and air-taxi initiatives including medical supply delivery to underserved populations; research and technology demonstrations spanning academic, commercial and government uses; and K-12 STEM outreach, with CVG and Sinclair co-developing educational materials for students and teachers.
Potential applications cited in the agreement include delivering urgently needed medical supplies, transporting specialized technicians to remote job sites and surveying storm damage in the minutes after a disaster.
Advanced Air Mobility refers to the transport of people and cargo in highly automated electric aircraft, often flying at lower altitudes than typical air traffic.
The partnership builds on a decade of Ohio aerospace groundwork, including the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport and recent manufacturing investments by Joby Aviation and Electra.aero in the Dayton region.
Andrew Shepherd, Sinclair's chief research officer, called CVG "an unparalleled real-world laboratory environment" that will keep students "at the cutting edge of the global aviation industry." Shepherd has more than 22 years of experience in defense and UAS research and previously chaired the National Science Foundation's Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Industry Advisory Board.
CVG ranks as the sixth-largest cargo airport in North America, home to Amazon Air's $1.5 billion hub and DHL Express' Global Superhub for the Americas, where a $292 million maintenance facility is completing construction in 2026. The airport welcomed 9 million travelers in 2025 and carries a $12.2 billion annual economic impact.
No specific timeline for the first technology demonstration or student cohort has been announced. CVG's innovation team, led by Chief Innovation Officer Brian Cobb, will manage the collaboration going forward.
