Since it was formed, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS) has been a critical partner in Project ULTRA, a multi-entity collaboration that is bolstering the Department of Defense’s (DoD) capabilities within the National Airspace System (NAS). Just months after the public announcement, the NPUASTS has surpassed significant milestones toward accomplishing the announced goals of Project Unmanned Logistics, Traffic, Research and Autonomy (ULTRA), and is planning and implementing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) flights to support it.
One major development in Project ULTRA is the use of UAS, or drones, for military cargo transport, with demonstration flights continuing from the May announcement through 2025. Flights carrying payloads of at least 55 pounds will travel more than 60 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base to Cavalier Space Force Station and back.
“We have already led the world in developing drone and counter drone technologies here in North Dakota,” said Senator John Hoeven. “Project ULTRA is the next step, working with private enterprise and leveraging the expertise of our available resources and infrastructure, such as the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, to further our armed services’ missions and readiness.”
The experience and leadership that NPUASTS has in UAS was also a primary reason that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently announced a formal agreement for the Test Site to use federal radar data to advance beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) UAS operations into the NAS. The NPUASTS is the first participant in the FAA Radar Data Pathfinder program.
In the Project ULTRA collaboration, the NPUASTS is the primary execution arm of the initiative, leveraging the extensive flight testing and research capabilities, that will create better operational efficiency of our country’s armed forces. The project, with the support of Sen. Hoeven, brings together Grand Forks County, GrandSKY, NASA, AFRL, MITRE and other industry leaders in a multi-year effort to secure the nation’s defense.
A task order, issued by the DoD, allocates further resources to facilitate the cargo flights through civilian airspace. The NPUASTS coordinates waivers with the FAA, and provides flight planning and mission profiles.
“The flights are a proof of concept for UAS applications,” said Chris Hewlett, Director at GrandSKY. “Project ULTRA demonstrates the valuable nature of having the region’s unique UAS ecosystem in place.”