Drones are taking flight in Northeast Ohio. And like traffic on the ground, the sky also needs rules to keep everyone safe.
The Northeast Ohio Flight Information Exchange, or NEOFIX, provides that infrastructure for Cuyahoga County. The system pulls public data from multiple sources and its own network of 11 sensors into one place for drone users.
“We are doing our best to create a drone friendly flight environment in Cuyahoga County,” Stuart Mendel, the project director for NEOFIX said. “The good news is it’s working. We’re tracking the data, we can report on it.”
3News talked with Stuart Mendel in 2025 at Baldwin Wallace University, where he’s an affiliate professor. Baldwin Wallace leads the NEOFIX project, funded by Cuyahoga County. Back then they deployed equipment to locations across the county. Now the system has been running for three months. NEOFIX has detected 25,062 drone flights in May and June.
Soaring to new heights, together.
Be sure to visit the BWU Technology Partnerships Initiative website to learn more about how our NEOFIX program drives economic growth, promotes policy and infrastructure to improve drone safety and efficiency in various industries, and ensures that drone technology is being used responsibly.