U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen toured the Grand Sky Technology Park in North Dakota last week and participated in a roundtable discussion with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry leaders.
Grand Sky Technology Park, located at Grand Forks Air Force Base, is the country’s first commercial UAS business and aviation park. Nielsen’s visit was hosted by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), who is urging the Trump administration to utilize UAS facilities to improve national security, especially along the northern border.
Hoeven has championed several bills to improve border protection, including one that would allow a five-year extension of the UAS test sites as part of the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill.
“North Dakota has the right mix of federal, military, state and private UAS operations to meet the nation’s needs in addressing emerging security concerns,” Hoeven said. “I appreciate Secretary Nielsen for coming to Grand Sky to learn about our local expertise and how we can leverage the research, development, training and operations in this region to help improve our national security. Through our recent appropriations bills and other initiatives, we are advancing solutions to counter threats from the misuse of unmanned aircraft, ensure we have enough UAS pilots to meet our security and commercial needs and, ultimately, enhance our border security through the use of this technology. These efforts are further bolstered by the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill, which includes a five-year extension of the test sites, including the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota.”
Hoeven, who is a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, is looking to secure $13 million for counter-UAS technologies in FY 2019 funding. Hoeven is also working to secure $10 million for the CBP to use contractors, like those at Grand Sky, to train UAS pilots.
Further, Hoeven recently helped introduce the Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018, which would give the DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) authority to protect important facilities from security risks posed by unmanned aircraft. In addition, it directs the DHS to evaluate emerging UAS threats and test technology to address these risks.
In July, Hoeven announced that North Dakota was selected as one of ten sites to participate in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) UAS integration pilot program. Through this program, the state’s UAS industry will help establish the safe operation of unmanned aircraft.