USDOT and FAA Announce Two New Sites for Testing Drones and Other Unmanned Aircraft Systems
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced two new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test sites—the first additions in nearly a decade—bringing the national total to nine.
The sites are in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and under the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. They support development, testing, and safe integration of drones into the National Airspace System, focusing on advanced operations like Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), cargo delivery, multiple drone flights, and autonomous technologies.
Secretary Sean P. Duffy emphasized U.S. leadership in drone innovation over competitors like China, enabling uses such as delivering lifesaving medicine and surveying pipelines. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford highlighted assessing emerging tech for safety and security to commercialize drones fully.
This aligns with recent BVLOS rule proposals and the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act.
“From delivering lifesaving medicine to surveying pipelines, drones are already reshaping industries and changing how people and products interact. It’s our job to make sure the United States safely leads the way with this exciting technology – not China,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “We’ve added these new test sites to help us gather critical data and test new systems so we can safely unleash innovation in our skies.”
“From delivering lifesaving medicine to surveying pipelines, drones are already reshaping industries and changing how people and products interact. It’s our job to make sure the United States safely leads the way with this exciting technology – not China,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “We’ve added these new test sites to help us gather critical data and test new systems so we can safely unleash innovation in our skies.”
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