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The selections of three nonmilitary sites in Oregon for testing unmanned aircraft systems that would be used for activities such as crop fertilization, fire prevention and wildlife management could go a long way toward job creation and investment in the state, economic development and industry officials say.

The Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon and sites in Pendleton and Tillamook were named Monday by the Federal Aviation Administration. They will be used for testing commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones.

Becoming a test center for the burgeoning UAS market could boost Central Oregon’s aviation industry, according to Roger Lee, executive director for Economic Development for Central Oregon, which spearheaded the application process along with Oregon State University and several industry leaders.

Since 2006, Bend’s aviation industry has shrunk from 1,500 jobs to 300 jobs and from $500 million gross domestic product to $100 million, according to Lee. The UAS sector could create approximately 400 jobs in Central Oregon and 1,400 statewide within a seven-year period, he said.

“When the industry dried up in our region because no one was buying general aviation aircraft, the industry got together and said, ‘How do we take advantage of this new opportunity?’ ” Lee said. “Our biggest limitation was airspace.”

Currently, companies are allowed to test unmanned systems only on military bases, which can be costly and time-consuming. Boardman is the only military test site in the state, and several companies have clustered along the Columbia River Gorge near Hood River. The industry supports nearly 1,200 jobs in Oregon and Washington ranging from software to robotics to sensors, Lee said.

Many established firms have expressed interest in setting up operations at or near the nonmilitary test sites, Lee said.

The benefits could extend to companies such as Bend-based Outback Manufacturing, which makes component parts for several industries.

“We would be looking for small companies that would set up business here to design the product,” said John Lynch, vice president of Outback Manufacturing, which makes component parts for the UAS industry. “I think you’re going to see a lot of small companies popping up.”

Several Central Oregon companies, including Redmond-based Lancair International, could easily convert to framing for UAS, Lynch said. Outback would make the mechanical parts of the system, using metal and plastic components.

The designation of the 900-square mile Warm Springs Indian Reservation as a test site could bring economic benefits, including spending on local telecommunications services, said Jeff Anspach, CEO of Warm Springs Economic Development Corp., who was part of the consortium that worked to bring UAS testing to the state.

Statewide, about 80 aviation-related businesses could help drive the industry, he said.

“We’re going to be relying heavily on technology coming out of the (Columbia) Gorge, the (Willamette) Valley and Bend,” Anspach said. “We think a rising tide will help float all boats.”