U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) led a letter supporting an application for Indiana to be designated a federal drone test site.
The letter from the entire Indiana congressional delegation, supported an application submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that Indiana be designated one of the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Test Sites.
“Indiana is uniquely situated to best assist the FAA in integrating UAS into the national airspace system as well as advance the United States’ capacities for manufacturing and deploying drone technologies,” the lawmakers wrote. “Between the geographical location in the heart of the Midwest, the already numerous testing assets for a variety of missions, and state and federal representatives who are committed to supporting advancement of these critical technologies, our state is poised to provide the best outcomes for American leadership in drone manufacturing and deployment.”
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorized the FAA to add two more test sites to its existing UAS Test Site program. Indiana’s selection as one of the new test sites would put the state in a critical role in the drone industry, and would open the door for Indiana universities, state and federal entities and manufacturers to collaborate on drone technology.
“Indiana has long been one of the most manufacturing-intensive states in the country. While the mission of establishing U.S. drone dominance will rely on the development of advanced drone technologies, it will be even more critical that we can take these newly developed technologies and scale them at a level in which we can deploy them to industries across the country,” the letter said. “From applications in defense, agriculture, public safety, and beyond, there is a demand and need for U.S.-developed and produced technologies that address the national security and privacy concerns posed by their foreign-made counterparts.”
The delegation added that the state is equipped to handle the influx of workers, as well as already having a military presence in the state adept at working with drone technology.
The letter was signed by Young, and U.S. Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN), and U.S. Reps. Frank Mrvan (D-IN-), Rudy Yakym (R-IN), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Jim Baird (R-IN), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), Andre Carson (D-IN), Mark Messmer (R-IN), and Erin Houchin (R-IN).