North Dakota UAS Test Site Announces Contract with NASA
NORTH DAKOTA UAS TEST SITE ANNOUNCES CONTRACT WITH NASA
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced today that it has been awarded a five-year contract to support National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) unmanned aircraft systems research.
Under this contract the North Dakota Department of Commerce, operating through the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, has received an initial award of $197,950 to support a NASA developed unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management project utilizing a diverse group of local partners including the University of North Dakota, Sensurion Aerospace, Altavian and Botlink. The contract between the North Dakota Department of Commerce and NASA could lead to additional awards over the five-year period of performance.
“This NASA contract is more confirmation that our ongoing work to establish North Dakota as a national hub for UAS research, development and commercialization is gaining more traction every day,” said Gov. Jack Dalrymple who has led the state’s efforts to make North Dakota a premier destination for America’s growing UAS industry, “With one of only six UAS test sites in the nation, the development of the Grand Sky UAS park and many other assets, North Dakota is well positioned to lead this growing industry into a role of great importance to the nation.”
Doug Olsen, Project Manager with the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Test Site and Principle Investigator for this contract said, “NASA has been a strong partner with the FAA over the years working to integrate UAS into the national airspace system, and we are very excited to be a part of the NASA team.”
North Dakota has invested more than $34 million to establish a national UAS test site, to establish the Grand Sky UAS Business Park and to advance North Dakota’s position as a hub for the nation’s growing UAS industry.
For additional information contact Brian Opp at the North Dakota Department of Commerce at (701) 328-5300 or by email at blopp@nd.gov.
