Hoeven: FAA, Northern Plains UAS Test Site Reach Agreement to Share Unfiltered Radar Data Feed

10.08.24

Hoeven: FAA, Northern Plains UAS Test Site Reach Agreement to Share Unfiltered Radar Data Feed

Senator Worked to Advance New Capability Supporting North Dakota as Most Advanced UAS Ecosystem in The Nation, Strengthens NAS Integration & Counter-UAS Development

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - At the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit today, Senator John Hoeven announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Northern Plains UAS Test Site have reached agreement to share the FAA's unfiltered radar data feed to support UAS integration efforts. North Dakota's test site will be the first in the nation to receive this capability, which will:

• Maintain the state's position as the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the nation.
• Strengthen the test site's detect-and-avoid capabilities, which allows unmanned aircraft operating under the test site to safely fly where other state's test sites could not.
• Empower the test site to detect malicious or unlawful UAS traffic, helping make North Dakota the premiere location for counter-UAS technology development.
  • Countering threats from the misuse of unmanned aircraft is a critical Department of Defense (DoD) priority.
  • This issue was at the heart of Hoeven's recent discussions with Air Combat Command (ACC) Commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown.
  • Accordingly, Hoeven is advancing Project ULTRA as the funding vehicle to support counter-UAS development. Hoeven worked to establish the initial contract valued at up to $18.25 million for efforts like this, and the project is eligible for additional funding in subsequent years.
• Hoeven is working with additional federal agencies, including the DoD and the Department of Justice (DOJ), to secure their approval of the agreement as soon as possible.

Currently, FAA radars collect more data than can be shared outside of federal government agencies, due to technical challenges and security concerns. By working to unlock this capability for North Dakota, the state will be positioned to continue leading the future of unmanned aviation research, development and operations. Hoeven's two guests at the UAS Summit are leading these important priorities:

• FAA Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson, a key figure in FAA's efforts to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace (NAS).
• Gen. David Stewart, Director of the Joint Counter-Small UAS Office (JCO), who is leading the DoD's efforts to protect against the misuse of drone technology.

"This agreement between the FAA and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to share unfiltered radar data adds a new tool to our vast toolkit in North Dakota, ensuring we remain the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the country," said Hoeven. "We've worked for nearly two decades to build up our state's talent, infrastructure and legal authorizations to make North Dakota the premiere location for all aspects of the UAS industry. As a result, our test site has more firsts and more partnerships than any other test site. Between this new capability and Project ULTRA, which will help fund many of the upcoming efforts, including counter-UAS development, we are positioned to continue leading the pack."

Advancing Project ULTRA

Hoeven worked to establish and fund Project ULTRA to advance the development of practical UAS applications like supply delivery, base inspections and installation security, benefitting Grand Forks Air Force Base and military installations across the country. The senator recently announced that the DoD has tasked Project ULTRA with conducting demonstration flights using unmanned aircraft to move cargo between Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Space Force Station.

Enhancing Counter-UAS Capabilities

Hoeven stressed how initiatives like Project ULTRA can be utilized to strengthen the nation's counter-UAS capabilities. Currently, threats such as drone swarm attacks against Israel and Ukraine, as well as UAS incursions into airspace near U.S. military bases, require significantly more expensive counter measures from the U.S. and its allies. This comes in addition to legislation Hoeven helped introduce and pass to support the development of counter-UAS technology and protect important facilities from potential misuse of unmanned aircraft. Hoeven is now sponsoring a bill to renew and expand upon the authorities created under this law.

Strengthening ND's Missions

Following the fireside chat, Hoeven introduced a video from Dr. William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, who the senator has invited to the state to see its UAS ecosystem firsthand. Hoeven, who serves as a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, has been working with LaPlante to advance the range of missions in North Dakota, from nuclear missions in Minot to the unmanned missions in the Red River Valley. LaPlante's remarks reinforced the discussion between Hoeven, Thomson and Stewart, further driving home the importance of UAS and counter-UAS to future DoD operations.

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