During a recent hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) discussed the importance of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for securing the nation’s international borders.
In speaking to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly, Hoeven reiterated his previous invitation to visit North Dakota to personally observe local efforts to develop UAS technology at Grand Sky, a North Dakota-based UAS business and aviation park, and a nearby UAS test site.
The senator also requested Kelly attend the upcoming UAS conference in Grand Forks, North Dakota to gain firsthand knowledge for Customs and Border Protection’s UAS mission.
“Unmanned aircraft hold significant potential for security at our nation’s borders, because it can be flown day or night with the right sensors, like infrared, costs less than other options and can more easily reach remote locations,” Hoeven said. “That’s why I reinforced the need for Secretary Kelly to visit Grand Forks, so he can see the work we are doing at the air base, the test site and Grand Sky. That firsthand knowledge will be important as we work with him to develop CBP’s UAS mission for securing the borders.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to oversee UAS operations that go beyond line of sight operator, which Hoeven personally requested.