The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have unveiled plans for two new unmanned aircraft systems test sites.
The new testing sites, the first FAA-designated drone test sites in almost 10 years, will be located in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Indiana Economic Development Corp., FAA said Thursday.
What Is the Purpose of the New UAS Test Sites?
The new testing grounds, part of the FAA’s UAS Test Site program, will be used to develop, test and evaluate public and civil aerial drones and related technologies. The program will emphasize beyond visual line of sight, or BVLOS, operations, under a rule proposed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to enable broader operational use of drone technologies.
“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,” Duffy said.
The sites are also intended to advance the safe commercialization of drone capabilities and support the full integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.
“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. Together, we will usher in the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into our NAS,” said Bryan Bedford, administrator of the FAA.
How Does the Expansion Support National Drone Policy?
The test sites align with President Trump’s executive order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance.” The new locations will become the eighth and ninth FAA UAS test sites and were authorized under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which permits the designation of up to two additional test ranges.
