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Grand Forks-Based Northern Plains Working With FAA on Commercial Drones

By Bill Dubensky Feb 28, 2025 | 1:48 PM

 Collin Newberry, operations manager, at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.   (Photo by Kacy Meinecke, courtesy of Northern Plains UAS Test Site via the North Dakota Monitor)

 

 

(By: . ) – A freshly approved $11 million legislative appropriation to integrate North Dakota’s unmanned aerial system into Federal Aviation Administration airspace is expected to spur drone development for commercial applications even farther in the state.

Commercial drone uses include agricultural spraying and surveying, power and pipeline monitoring, emergency first response capabilities, and possibly delivery services in rural areas.

The integration of the Grand Forks-based Northern Plains UAS Test Site’s Vantis radar platform with the FAA’s Pathfinder radar program will allow secure data sharing between the two, making the state even more attractive to businesses operating drones beyond the visual line of sight.

The range of coverage will also greatly expand from the current 3,000 square miles to 56,000 square miles.

Most drones currently are operated by line of sight, which means an operator on the ground needs to see where the drone is at all times.

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