It’s official: FCC names Raleigh ‘innovation zone’ for drone, wireless communications

The Federal Communications Commission officially awarded and designated innovation zone status to an existing site in and nearby North Carolina State University on Thursday.

Innovation zones are created so that qualified licensees — such as North Carolina State University, which operates the existing site that was a part of the Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and a consortium of 35 wireless companies — can test advanced technologies beyond the boundaries of a college or university campus or laboratory facility, the FCC said.