Barry Safety Netting Project for Drones at Skydome UAS Testing Center

Skydome is the new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test site located in a former Air Force hangar at Griffiss Airport in Rome, New York. At over 3,000 square feet, it is the largest indoor Anechoic Chambered UAS experimentation facility in North America and provides year-round access for testing advanced drone technologies, artificial intelligence-based flight controls, and autonomous swarms of small drones.

Skydome supports collaborative efforts between the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate and the New York UAS Test Site to enhance the development of technologies for small UAS to operate safely and securely in the National Air Space. It is one of only seven FAA-Designated UAS test sites in the United States.

Barry was selected as a safety netting provider for this large-scale installation, designed to contain the drones and protect assets within the test facility. Working in collaboration with the designers, architects, engineers, and installation team, Barry provided support and design solutions to meet all the necessary criteria. Key factors for the materials and design included protecting delicate anechoic panels, creating access points and doorways, and using materials with non-metallic content coatings that resist environmental elements for the outdoor area of the facility.

Barry is proud to have been selected as a partner for this unique site and the opportunity to work with the team at Williams Fence Company. This construction project facilitates the research necessary to integrate drones into the fabric of everyday air travel, such as testing the transportation of lifesaving medical supplies, damage assessment, assistance in natural disasters, recovery search and rescue, and more.

Part of the 3,500-acre former U.S. Air Force Base, the Skydome is now the largest indoor UAS drone testing site in the nation and operates year-round.