The FAA has activated a radar data sharing initiative with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Forks, North Dakota, enabling the integration of federal radar information into the state’s Vantis beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) system. The agreement makes the test site the first non-federal participant to access the FAA’s unfiltered radar data feed.
FAA Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson announced the agreement during the UAS Summit & Expo in Grand Forks in 2024, describing it as a government-to-government release of surveillance data intended to support the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System.
Section 905 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 established the Radar Data Pilot Program, which allows qualified users to access certain airspace data feeds to support air traffic and UAS traffic management services and evaluate related technologies. The radar information is being integrated into Vantis, North Dakota’s statewide BVLOS network administered by the test site.
“This program will take us to the next level, ensuring even greater safety and efficiency as we integrate UAS into the National Airspace System,” Thomson said when the program was announced.
The program comes as the FAA grapples with how to safely standardize BVLOS drone operations, even as government accountability reports recently said the appropriate infrastructure to systematically support such operations is not yet in place.
Trevor Woods, executive director of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, said the collaboration required coordination among state officials, the FAA and interagency partners to address data protection and operational requirements.
The initiative follows provisions in the 2024 FAA reauthorization directing the agency to evaluate how radar data could support broader UAS integration. According to the FAA, the program is intended to define security control requirements, assess the suitability of radar data and demonstrate UAS flight operations using shared surveillance information.
The FAA intends to expand access to additional third-party service suppliers in the future, according to the legislation. North Dakota officials said the state has invested in infrastructure to support BVLOS operations and worked with federal and industry partners, including Thales, to implement the system.
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