Emerging Aviation Technology Center
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) is developing a one-of-a-kind aviation test facility in southeastern Oklahoma that utilizes 44,600+ acres of remote land tribally owned by CNO to support innovative RDT&E of emerging manned and unmanned aerial system technologies in a safe and low-risk environment.
CNO will leverage all this along with our selection for, and success in, the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and the FAA’s follow-on BEYOND program, which validated CNO’s role as a national leader and influencer in emerging aviation technology. The goal of this CNO program is to accelerate the safe integration of UAS and AAM/UAM (Advanced Aerial Mobility/Urban Air Mobility also known as Flying Taxis and Orbs) into the National Airspace System (NAS) as well as create an aviation technology and innovation cluster in southeastern Oklahoma.
Plans for the Choctaw Nation include the construction of a 35-acre aviation testing complex at the Choctaw Daisy Ranch location that will include facilities for lease to aviation companies. These plans also include the acquisition of important aviation safety risk management technologies such as ground-based radar as well as broadband buildout to support the next generation of technology testing opportunities which have already begun. We are also currently building out a network of ADS-B receivers to promote safe operations in the airspace.
