State representatives and investors see promising future for Choctaw Nation BEYOND Program

Choctaw Nation Photo

Published May 18, 2021

On Friday, May 7 Speaker Charles McCall visited the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s drone testing facility located in rural southeastern Oklahoma for a presentation regarding the Nation’s commitment to growing economic opportunities and emerging technologies within its territorial boundaries.

James Grimsley, Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives, gave an update on the Nation’s continued commitment to its aerospace initiative, the BEYOND program. The program focuses on operating under established rules rather than waivers, collecting data to develop performance-based standards, collecting and addressing community feedback and understanding societal and community benefits that are the advanced operations of drones.

Among the Speaker were esteemed Atoka representatives, NASA personnel, Chickasaw Nation Representatives, private investors, and Choctaw Nation associates.

About the UAS IPP Program

The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) is an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to partner with private sector entities, such as UAS operators or manufacturers, to accelerate safe UAS integration. The program will help the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) craft new enabling rules that allow more complex low-altitude UAS operations by:

Identifying ways to balance local and national interests related to UAS integration
Improving communications with local, state and tribal jurisdictions
Addressing security and privacy risks
Accelerating the approval of operations that currently require special authorizations

The program is expected to foster a meaningful dialogue on the balance between local and national interests related to UAS integration, and provide actionable information to the USDOT on expanded and universal integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.

About the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States with more than 225,000 tribal members and 12,000-plus associates. This ancient people has an oral tradition dating back over 13,000 years. The first tribe over the Trail of Tears, its historic reservation boundaries are in the southeast corner of Oklahoma, covering 10,923 square miles. The Choctaw Nation's vision, "Living out the Chahta Spirit of faith, family and culture," is evident as it continues to focus on providing opportunities for growth and prosperity. For more information about the Choctaw Nation, its culture, heritage, and traditions, please visit choctawnation.com.

Inquiries

Contact Kristina Humenesky for any media relations needs at [email protected]