UNMANNNED & AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
Fly High in Grand Forks
Droning Out the Competition
We’ve taken our pioneer spirit to a new level, leading the development of a UAS ecosystem that is the most robust in the country. Our region had the foresight to establish expertise in the industry when it was in its infancy and today, the strength of our vision is your advantage. We are the nation’s UAS trailblazer with many firsts including the first statewide BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) network (Vantis), first UAS pilot undergraduate program, and first UAS business and aviation park.
Companies Take Flight Here
Grand Forks is a collaborative community: supporting the industry and engaging at all levels including federal and state, with leaders positioned to influence UAS integration policies.
Unencumbered
Through the development of Vantis, a statewide network enabling UAS flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), Grand Forks is the nation’s epicenter of commercial UAS activity. Vantis is the first such program of its scale in the United States being designed to operate any aviation-grade UAS in airspace covering 70,000 square miles on the ground.
Grand Skies
Grand Sky is a 217-acre business and aviation park with 1,200,000 square feet of hangar, office, and data center space available on a built-to-suit basis with financing available.
Features
- Unencumbered airspace
- 12,351-foot runway and Air Force Base access
- DASR-11 radar data access
- Fiber optic data access
- Small to large UAS operation
- BVLOS flights with Northern Plains UAS Test Site
- Full-spectrum weather conditions
Paving the Way
The Northern Plains UAS Test Site is one of seven FAA UAS Test Sites across the country partnering with major players in the commercial UAS industry.
The mission of the NPUASTS is to collaborate with FAA and industry partners to develop equipment, systems, rules, and procedures to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the NAS without negatively impacting existing general or commercial aviation.
Services
- Pilots and aircraft to conduct testing
- Assistance with accelerated airspace approval and safety risk management
- Location scoping for UAS testing
- Administering North Dakota’s state-wide beyond-visual-line-of-site network, Vantis
- Daisy chain observers supporting BVLOS missions
- UAS traffic management
World Class UAS Research University
With 50 years of experience in aviation education, training, and research, the University of North Dakota was the first to offer a UAS degree in 2009. The Research Institute for Autonomous Systems works with commercial and government partners at the cutting edge of both UAS and cUAS opportunities.
Northrop Grumman had long viewed the Grand Forks region as an ideal location for autonomous test flight. The open skies of the prairie, the unparalleled UAS ecosystem, and the state and local government’s unflinching industry support made it easy for them to be successful.
“With the ability to couple [growth in technology and innovation] with the real-life operators we have at Grand Forks—as well as the innovation with UND and their educational systems here—we can combine those two forces in a single place,” said Northrop Grumman Global Hawk UAS Vice President and Program Manager Mick Jaggers.
Mobile Recon Systems, a Kentucky manufacturer specializing in heavy-lift drones, moved their headquarters and manufacturing operations to Grand Forks to take advantage of the strong workforce and industry-leading innovation taking place here.
Companies Take Flight Here
Grand Forks is a collaborative community: supporting the industry and engaging at all levels including federal and state, with leaders positioned to influence UAS integration policies.
Unencumbered
Through the development of Vantis, a statewide network enabling UAS flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), Grand Forks is the nation’s epicenter of commercial UAS activity. Vantis is the first such program of its scale in the United States being designed to operate any aviation-grade UAS in airspace covering 70,000 square miles on the ground.
Grand Skies
Grand Sky is a 217-acre business and aviation park with 1,200,000 square feet of hangar, office, and data center space available on a built-to-suit basis with financing available.
Features
- Unencumbered airspace
- 12,351-foot runway and Air Force Base access
- DASR-11 radar data access
- Fiber optic data access
- Small to large UAS operation
- BVLOS flights with Northern Plains UAS Test Site
- Full-spectrum weather conditions
Paving the Way
The Northern Plains UAS Test Site is one of seven FAA UAS Test Sites across the country partnering with major players in the commercial UAS industry.
The mission of the NPUASTS is to collaborate with FAA and industry partners to develop equipment, systems, rules, and procedures to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the NAS without negatively impacting existing general or commercial aviation.
Services
- Pilots and aircraft to conduct testing
- Assistance with accelerated airspace approval and safety risk management
- Location scoping for UAS testing
- Administering North Dakota’s state-wide beyond-visual-line-of-site network, Vantis
- Daisy chain observers supporting BVLOS missions
- UAS traffic management
World Class UAS Research University
With 50 years of experience in aviation education, training, and research, the University of North Dakota was the first to offer a UAS degree in 2009. The Research Institute for Autonomous Systems works with commercial and government partners at the cutting edge of both UAS and cUAS opportunities.
Northrop Grumman had long viewed the Grand Forks region as an ideal location for autonomous test flight. The open skies of the prairie, the unparalleled UAS ecosystem, and the state and local government’s unflinching industry support made it easy for them to be successful.
“With the ability to couple [growth in technology and innovation] with the real-life operators we have at Grand Forks—as well as the innovation with UND and their educational systems here—we can combine those two forces in a single place,” said Northrop Grumman Global Hawk UAS Vice President and Program Manager Mick Jaggers.
The New York Times called North Dakota and Grand Forks ‘A Silicon Valley For Drones’ – learn why the Nation’s UAS leaders call Grand Forks home. Hear from:
- Dr. Joshua Riedy – Thread
- Dean Gorder – General Atomics
- Mike Firdolfs – Northrop Grumman
- Don Berchoff – TruWeather Solutions
- Greta Silewski – Thales Group
- Matt Dunlevy – SkySkopes
- Frank Matus – Thales Group
- Doug McDonald – iSight Drone Services
- William Cromarty – Kirkwall Solutions
FAST FACTS
1ST
STATEWIDE BVLOS NETWORK, VANTIS
1ST
UAS PILOT UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
1ST
UAS MAINTENANCE TRAINING PROGRAM
1ST
GEOSPATIAL AND IMAGERY ANALYST TRAINING PROGRAMS
1ST
DEDICATED UAS BUSINESS & AVIATION PARK, GRAND SKY
1ST
NATIONAL UAS SUMMIT
1215
EMPLOYMENT as of 2022
40.9%
5 YEAR % CHANGE as of 2021
1st
REgional UAS Test Range: Gorman Field
$71,00
WAge AVERAGE in 2022
1ST
UND Aerospace was the first four year degree UAS Operation program to receive Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) Accreditation for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
UAS Booklet
CONTACT US
Questions about joining the UAS ecosystem? Our Business Development Manager, Kevin Hatcher, is ready to answer your questions and connect you to our region’s resources.
Kevin Hatcher
Business Development Manager
Phone: 701.746.2720
Email: kevinh@grandforks.org
STAY INFORMED
Stay up to date with the latest information from the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation.
