Hector wraps up first-of-its-kind summer of UAS integration
ASIM, Sep 29
Three operators of MQ-9 aircraft flew from Fargo’s Hector International Airport this summer alongside scheduled commercial flights and general aviation traffic, a combination airport officials believe is a first for a U.S. commercial airport.
The North Dakota Air National Guard’s 119th Wing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and CBP Air and Marine Operations shared the airport’s Class D airspace over five months. General Atomics and CBP Air and Marine Operations concluded activity at Fargo Jet Center on Sept. 18, closing a collaboration airport officials call a milestone for integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into commercial airspace.
“We’re grateful to our partners at the 119th Wing, General Atomics, and CBP Air and Marine Operations for trusting Hector International with this work,” said Shawn Dobberstein, executive director of Hector International Airport. “We remain ready to support this kind of operation again, and we’re proud that North Dakota, as a whole, continues to lead the country in bringing unmanned systems into everyday airspace.”
Based at the Fargo airport since 1947, the 119th Wing has flown UAS and coordinated with the air traffic control tower for more than a decade. That experience made room for two additional operators without slowing commercial service.
“Over the past several months, this partnership has demonstrated what is possible when military, federal and civilian agencies work together with a shared commitment to safety and operational excellence,” said Colonel Christopher Domitrovich, 119th Wing commander. “This partnership has allowed MQ-9 Reaper operations to be conducted alongside the full spectrum of commercial and general aviation at a joint-use airport and positions North Dakota as a national catalyst for UAS advancement. The 119th Wing is proud to be a part of this effort, establishing a model of how unmanned aircraft can safely and effectively operate within the national airspace system.”
General Atomics continued training and testing flights through the summer while CBP Air and Marine Operations flew law enforcement missions, neither of which disrupted scheduled airline service.
Both operators resumed MQ-9 flights from the GrandSKY UAS Business Park and Grand Forks Air Force Base on Sept. 18.
