The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration designated two new sites for unmanned aircraft systems testing.
The sites in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, are the first new UAS testing grounds in nearly a decade.
“These test sites help the U.S. assess emerging technologies to modernize methods for cargo delivery, Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations and multiple drone operations while informing safety and security,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “Together, we will usher in the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into our NAS (National Airspace System).”
The UAS Test Site program supports the development and testing of public and civil unmanned aircraft and related technologies to advance the safe integration of drones into the NAS. In August, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled proposed Beyond Visual Line of Sign rules to expand the use-case for drone technology.
“From delivering lifesaving medicine to surveying pipelines, drones are already reshaping industries and changing how people and products interact. It’s our job to make sure the United States safely leads the way with this exciting technology – not China,” Duffy said. “We’ve added these new test sites to help us gather critical data and test new systems so we can safely unleash innovation in our skies.”
Officials said the announcement stems from President Donald Trump’s Executive Order “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” designed to enhance U.S. productivity and high-skilled jobs in the aviation sector.
The first seven UAS test sites include,
- Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration, AK
- Northern Plains UAS Test Site, ND
- New Mexico State University UAS Test Site, NM
- State of Nevada UAS Test Site, NV
- New York UAS Test Site, NY
- Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Autonomy Research Institute, TX
- Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, VA