ABERPORTH'S world centre of excellence for the development and testing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) was officially opened last week.

The opening of ParcAberporth, by First Minister for Wales Rhodri Morgan, was marked by the largest flying demonstration of UAVs ever to be held in civilian airspace in the UK.

The £16.1 million centre is a key part of the Welsh Assembly Government's plans for the regeneration of Cardigan and west Wales.

It will include a business and incubation centre with research and development facilities for a UK-based UAV Centre of Excellence, providing a focal point for a growing cluster of UAV Systems and related businesses.

"Wales has celebrated some major developments in the aerospace industry within the past year including the maiden flight of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, while GE Wales has been named as the first link in a worldwide network of service centres for the Engine Alliance's GP7200," said the First Minister.

"Wales' aerospace sector already employs 20,000 people and continues to grow and it is clear that aerospace, and its related industries, have a very strong future here."

Construction work on the first phase of ParcAberporth was completed in August 2005 and funded through the Welsh Assembly and European Structural Funds.

The project aims to create 230 jobs in the first three years, with the capacity for up to 1,000 jobs in total.

Volunteers from Cardigan RNLI lifeboat station were also at the launch, where they replicated a rescue scenario in front of several hundred guests.

The rescue by Cardigan's Atlantic 75 RNLI lifeboat crew demonstrated one of the many aspects of how UAVs, which are fitted with an effective infrared camera, can be used in search and rescue.