Northrop becomes tenant at North Dakota UAS test site

Northrop Grumman, a worldwide leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology, has signed a letter of intent with Grand Forks, North Dakota’s Grand Sky aerospace tech park, making it the first tenant of the 217-acre business park located on the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-North Dakota, said Grand Sky will provide Northrop Grumman and future tenants with state-of-the-art facilities, added security, access to the base’s runway, and the ability to closely collaborate with the Air Force.

“Finalizing Grand Sky is a significant step forward for the future of the public-private partnerships and the development of unmanned aerial systems in North Dakota,” said Heitkamp. “The Grand Sky business park will have an incredible impact throughout the Grand Forks community, allowing it to fully harness the potential of this emerging and exciting technology.”

“I’m confident that this agreement will lead to great success for North Dakota,” Heitkamp added. “The UAS industry has the potential to greatly help our state grow and thrive, and I will continue to support efforts to make that possible.”

Grand Sky, which is housed in northeast North Dakota and just 90 miles from the Canadian border, is being supported by the North Dakota Department of Commerce. Grand Sky is in close proximity to the University of North Dakota—one of the nation’s most respected schools for training pilots and one of the frontrunners in unmanned aviation studies—as well as Northland Community & Technical College, one of Grand Sky’s partners and a key school in educating professionals in unmanned systems.