A First-of-Its-Kind Advantage
Sovereignty, Scale and Speed
Unique operational authority to accelerate innovation
A Testing Environment Unlike Anywhere Else
Rural and real-world conditions
Scalable deployment
Section 920(b)(3) waiver authority
supporting advanced UAS operations
Advanced Testing Environment
Expansive airspace for cutting-edge trials
Innovation and Research
Pioneering drone and autonomous tech
Strategic Partnership
Collaboration with industry leaders
Emerging Aviation Technology Center
- 44,600+ acres of Tribally owned land under sovereign jurisdiction
- Sparsely populated rural environment with low RF congestion and minimal acoustic noise floor
- Diverse terrain supporting realistic air and ground testing scenarios
- Class G airspace from surface to 1,200 ft. AGL
- Current flight approvals up to 6,000 ft. MSL
- One of the most expansive BVLOS operating areas in the continental United States
- Comprehensive ground risk and air safety analyses conducted by MITRE across the 11,000-square-mile Choctaw reservation, supporting FAA waivers, exemptions and COAs
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UAS Testing in Action
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s (CNO) work supports national UAS priorities through executed projects and measurable outcomes
- U.S. Drone Industry and Competitiveness (EO 14307)
- Validation of U.S.-based UAS platforms, radios and systems Data-driven results supporting scalable domestic deployment
- Airspace Awareness, Security and Control (EO 14305)
- Testing of resilient C2, EW-hardened radios, DAA and telemetry systems
- Operational data supporting airspace safety
Proven Through Operational Testing
- Conducted two operational flight campaigns with a commercial partner
- Evaluated BVLOS radio performance for electronic warfare-hardened communications
- Tested redundant, proven radio systems in operational flight conditions
Tactical Mitigation
- Two DeTect Harrier Radars
- One Fortem R30 Radar System
- Private ADS-B receiver network spanning a large part of the reservation
- Private C2 radio network including multiple spectrum bands
- Expansion of a dedicated weather sensor network