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Commerce updates test‑site, VANTAS radar network and licensing talks with private partners
Summary
The Department of Commerce and Northern Plains UAS Test Site reported steady federal and private-sector activity, ongoing VANTAS radar coverage, and work to license state-developed IP to private partners to scale commercial use.
Chris Shilkin, commissioner at the North Dakota Department of Commerce, and Trevor Woods of the UAS test site updated the committee on progress with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and the statewide Beyond Visual Line of Sight efforts.
Shilkin said the test site remains in good standing with the FAA and that the FAA Reauthorization Act extended the program through 2029. He noted state investments exceeding $164 million across the UAS ecosystem and summarized recent federal and private awards tied to the state’s investments, including Department of Defense and Navy awards to North Dakota companies and university partnerships. Shilkin described a $3 million legislative appropriation for 2025–27 to support continued operations and a $9 million drone‑replacement program to replace foreign‑manufactured aircraft with secure, American‑made models for more than 20 agencies.
Trevor Woods explained where the state’s intellectual property resides—largely in the Mission and Network Operations Center architecture and the system blueprints used to fuse radar, ADS‑B, and other sensor data into an operational VANTAS network. He said some IP (radar processing, hypervisors) is owned by private partners such as Thales while the state retains architecture and operations blueprints. "The architecture to make that all happen has not been developed or readily available to the market, and that is where the primary intellectual property of North Dakota lies," Woods said. Officials said they are negotiating licensing agreements with private partners to commercialize and scale the architecture while retaining oversight and ensuring federal compliance.
Committee members praised the investment for jobs and national defense partnerships; staff said the test site also helps secure advanced aviation grants and supports workforce growth in Grand Forks and across the state. The test site will continue technical briefings for lawmakers and answer follow-up questions about licensing structure and terms.
