The Monterey Bay Drone, Automation & Robotics Technology (DART) initiative is a regional economic development strategy to focus on these current and future growth sectors for new venture formation, jobs growth and regional vitality. The DART initiative grew out of a multi-sector partnership established in the fall of 2017 to respond to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) call for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) responses. Led by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority in collaboration with multiple public and private sector partners including the City of Marina, the University of California, California State University, Airspace Integration, Joby Aviation and many others. While unsuccessful in gaining the UASIPP designation, the partnerships established during the proposal development phase, and demonstrated market demand for drone testing and innovation spaces, led to a concept revision and expansion, and the current initiative.