The Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) has awarded uAvionix a contract to develop the Skyway UAS test range near Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Through its system integration efforts, uAvionix will deploy centrally managed, networked Command & Control (C2) and Detect & Avoid (DAA) services that enable uncrewed Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations between nodes on the Skyway.
The system will utilize uAvionix’s SkyLine Cloud-based service for assured C2 and DAA. It is the same system at the core of uAvionix’s recent FAA exemption for BVLOS operations in North Dakota. Each location or node along the Skyway will consist of C2 and DAA systems including radar, ADS-B receivers, computer-vision technologies, radios, and aviation weather monitoring systems that provide situational awareness and maintain airspace safety.
“Working with OAIRE and partners on the deployment of this range near Tulsa, OK represents another great opportunity for us to integrate our technology and support a growing base of customers conducting regional BVLOS operations,” said Christian Ramsey, Managing Director for Uncrewed Aviation and Aviation Networks at uAvionix. “Sharing a vision with OAIRE and deploying proven technologies for uncrewed operations and aviation networks will ensure we deliver opportunity and value for OAIRE, and Oklahoma’s large enterprises and accelerating startups.”
The Skyway Range is an outgrowth of projects initiated under the new Tulsa Regional Advanced Mobility (TRAM) Cluster. In summer 2023, OSU partnered with Tulsa Innovation Labs and the Osage Nation to create the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the Skyway UAS Range to connect the Osage Nation and its enterprises’ Skyway36 Droneport in Tulsa with OSU and two additional nodes in the region.
“As part of OSU’s land-grant mission, we are committed to serving the State of Oklahoma and building for the future,” added Dr. Jamey Jacob, OAIRE Executive Director. “This partnership and the Skyway Range expand opportunities for a variety of companies both large and small and represent a significant step toward developing and testing advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies that will benefit the region and nation.”
Upon completion, the unique Skyway corridor will connect OAIRE’s primary UAS test facility at OSU’s Unmanned Aircraft Flight Station with the Osage Nation Skyway36 Droneport and then downtown Tulsa. Companies endeavoring to deploy UAS for cargo and passenger transport will have access to the range for testing and development, including conducting scalable BVLOS operations. Long-term goals include expanding the network to connect sites across the state and developing a statewide testing capability.
