U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced Thursday the designation of two future Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test sites, located in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and under the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the additions mark the first new FAA-designated UAS test sites in nearly a decade and bring the national total to nine.
Expanding the UAS Test Site Network
The FAA’s UAS Test Site Program supports the development, testing and evaluation of public and civil unmanned aircraft systems and related technologies prior to their integration into the National Airspace System. The program was initially established under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, with six sites becoming operational in 2014, followed by a seventh added in 2016. The 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act authorized the designation of up to two additional test ranges.
In a statement released by the Department of Transportation, Duffy said the new sites will support data collection and system testing needed for emerging drone operations.
“From delivering lifesaving medicine to surveying pipelines, drones are already reshaping industries and changing how people and products interact,” 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.”
Focus on BVLOS and Advanced Operations
According to the FAA, the expanded network will support research focused on beyond visual line of sight operations, increasingly autonomous systems, multiple-drone operations and advanced air mobility concepts. In August, Duffy announced a proposed BVLOS rule intended to broaden operational use cases for unmanned aircraft.
“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,” Bedford said. “Together, we will usher in the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into our NAS.”
The two new locations join existing FAA UAS test sites in Alaska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Texas and Virginia. FAA officials said the sites also support partnerships with public agencies and commercial operators, including demonstrations funded through the FAA’s UAS Broad Agency Announcement program, which provides matching funds to companies working with designated test ranges.
