North Dakota seizes UAS development opportunities
North Dakota is working to establish itself as a centre of UAS excellence, with a number of recent developments underpinning efforts to bolster the regional industry.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has made the decision to expand the Northern Plains UAS test site in the state, making the site the largest available for UAS in the country.
Additionally, ComDel Innovations has signed a $3.2 million manufacturing agreement with Altavian for unmanned aircraft and sensors, marking the first manufacturing project for unmanned aircraft systems in the state.
The Grand Forks Air Force Base has also announced plans to sign an agreement to extend its lease on the Grand Sky 217-acre aerospace technology park. The park will provide technology incubation space for businesses in the industry, and it is due to open in 2017.
Robert Becklund, executive director, Northern Plains UAS test site, said: 'These three announcements are a testament to how we and the FAA have made North Dakota the premier location for industry to conduct research related to UAS.'
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