Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is scoping rural Northeast Lake County locations for satellite campuses where drone pilots can be trained and tested autonomous flight vehicles.
According to a report by GrowthSpotter, the new facility will be about 50 miles from the Main College Campus in Daytona Beach.
Kim Schmale, owner of Paisley’s Deep Woods Ranch, applied to the county to allow development by rezoning 119 acres. Currently, the property has runways that do not have private, but the university will upgrade to paved facilities that meet federal aviation standards on the new campus.
The plan includes the construction of a 10,000 square feet of auxiliary hangers and two additional maintenance hangers. There will also be a 2,500-square-foot classroom building with a break room and vending area. The site also includes training facilities for drone pilots and, according to the application, independent self-driving cars and AI testing facilities.
In the project document, Attorney Talatedrow described the campus as a low-strength use that is compliant with existing comprehensive plans and future land use.
“The use of ERAU’s subject property is consistent with the use and activities of the special and substantive interests of the county that are necessary and desirable,” writes Tedrow.
ERAU was ranked number one in the US News & World Report this year as the most innovative school. The nation’s leading universities in training professional pilots have issued the following statement regarding the proposed Lake County expansion:
“As Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University continues to grow, we are working with the community to identify areas for future growth and development possibilities. While Lake County’s current plans are not solidified, we are exploring many opportunities. We will work closely with the community on plans for future expansion.”
ERAU currently maintains two US campuses in Daytona Beach and Prescott, Arizona, offering training courses at US military bases through global campus programs. The university also has an Asian campus in Singapore, offering online classes. Last year, enrollment at all campuses exceeded 32,000, with 8,755 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled on the Daytona Beach campus.
The Deep Woods ranch facility is surrounded by Ocala National Forest, and the conceptual plan shows potential US Forest Service buildings south of the runway. We also reserve two future development sites, 7.4 and 7.6 acres, on either side of the runway.
Any tips on developing Central Florida? Please contact me at lkinsler@growthspotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Original issue: March 7, 2025, 11:30am EST
