Strategic partnership accelerates workforce development and positions Cambria County as hub for autonomous aerial intelligence operations
HOUSTON, Texas — February 4, 2026 — Horizon Aerobotics, an autonomous drone intelligence company, today announced a strategic partnership with Aerium, a Pennsylvania nonprofit dedicated to catalyzing aviation innovation and workforce development. The partnership establishes Horizon’s primary Remote Operations Center at Mid-Atlantic Opportunity Park at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, positioning Cambria County as a cornerstone of the company’s nationwide autonomous operations.
The facility will serve as the command center for Horizon’s 24/7 autonomous aerial intelligence services, enabling centralized monitoring and control of drone operations serving critical infrastructure customers across the country. Full-system integration testing of Horizon’s AI-augmented drone inspection and security solutions is currently underway at multiple sites in and around Cambria County.
“Pennsylvania’s Southern Alleghenies region has shown that it is ready to lead the next chapter of aviation,” said Larry Nulton, Ph.D., Aerium Chair. “Horizon Aerobotics’ decision to put its national operations hub here validates years of coordinated work across education, workforce development, and infrastructure investment.”
The partnership addresses a critical industry challenge: developing qualified personnel for advanced UAS operations. Horizon’s growth trajectory includes approximately 247 new employees to staff remote operations and maintenance centers nationwide. Through Aerium’s workforce development ecosystem, the company is building training pipelines for complex operations including many-to-one drone supervision and beyond visual line of sight flight—skills historically difficult to acquire through traditional channels.
“The future of the commercial drone industry is anchored in beyond visual line of sight operations,” said Nick Sammons, VP Flight Operations, Horizon Aerobotics. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Aerium in Johnstown—they’re building the workforce infrastructure and training pathways this ecosystem needs to scale. From operations centers to advanced remote pilots, this is where the next chapter begins.”
Horizon has expanded its industry collaborations through Aerium’s ecosystem of advanced air mobility partnerships in the region. Educational partnerships with St. Francis University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and University of Pittsburgh Johnstown are creating the education-to-industry pipelines that will define the future of aerospace workforce development.
“What Aerium has built in Pennsylvania—connecting education, industry, and innovation—is exactly the ecosystem that companies like ours need to grow and succeed,” said Denver Hopkins, CEO of Horizon Aerobotics. “Aerium’s vision and efforts are remarkably well aligned with our own operational goals. We’re proud to be part of it.”
Beyond building operational infrastructure, Horizon is collaborating with customers and partners in the region to validate railroad and transportation inspection solutions aimed at improving efficiency and safety. Looking ahead, both organizations are exploring the potential to deploy multi-use shared infrastructure of drones and docking stations serving public benefit applications including highway inspection, disaster response, search and rescue, and security of sensitive facilities.
About Aerium
Aerium is a national leader dedicated to accelerating aviation innovation and expanding the workforce needed to sustain it. Through collaborative partnerships that leverage the strength of the entire aviation ecosystem—industry, education, government, and community organizations—Aerium drives forward solutions that make flight safer, smarter, and more accessible. Learn more at Aerium.org.
About Horizon Aerobotics
Horizon Aerobotics is an autonomous drone intelligence company transforming critical infrastructure security through 24/7 aerial patrol and inspection services. Operating drone-in-a-box systems from Remote Operations Centers in Texas and Pennsylvania, Horizon enables Fortune 100 companies and federal agencies to achieve unprecedented operational visibility without personnel exposure. With a complete NDAA-compliant technology stack and multi-state operations, Horizon is pioneering a nationally scalable service model for maritime security, border protection, and critical infrastructure monitoring. Founded by operators with 20 years aviation safety experience and federal security clearances, the company is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Learn more at HorizonAerobotics.com.