The Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), a North Dakota state agency, announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the use of Vantis as a safety mitigation for beyond-visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations.

The Northern Plains UAS Test Site has successfully assisted the Grand Forks Fire Department in obtaining a Tactical Beyond Visual Line of Sight (TBVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration. The granting of this waiver that took effect on July 19, marks a significant advancement in public safety and emergency response capabilities in Grand Forks, ND, and East Grand Forks, MN.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has partnered with the Grand Forks Air Force Base, GrandSKY, and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to successfully conduct test flights of the Kratos Valkyrie UAS and its associated Trolley Launch System. This innovative system enables traditional rocket/catapult launch high-performance jet drones to be capable of traditional runway launch without RATO assist when runways are available at the operational site.

Leveraging the unique ecosystem in Grand Forks, which includes the extensive capabilities of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and North Dakota’s unique operational flight test environment, Project ULTRA capitalizes on the existing Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight capabilities already in place and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Known for results and innovation, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site marks its 10th anniversary this year. The Federal Aviation Administration-designated test site provides a crucial collaboration with the FAA and the unmanned aircraft system industry, developing systems, rules, and procedures to safely integrate UAS into the National Airspace System.