Autonomous Systems
North Dakota ranks #2 best state for drone commerce.
Unmanned
In A State Of Success
North Dakota has been at the forefront of shaping the UAS industry since 2005. Since that time the vision and efforts of many North Dakota leaders has positioned our region as one of the global leaders for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) research, development, and commercialization.
In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that North Dakota would be one of six UAS test sites to focus on drone research and operations with the goal of integrating UAS into the national airspace system (NAS).
More recently, in 2018, the US Department of Transportation announced that North Dakota had been selected as one of ten participants in the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and one of three participants selected for the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Pilot Program (UPP). This makes North Dakota one of only three states to possess all three designations – UAS Test Site, IPP, and UPP.
The state of North Dakota, during the 2019 legislative session, appropriated $33 million to continue advancing the regional UAS ecosystem. Of that, $28 million supports a statewide Beyond Visual Line of Site (BVLOS) infrastructure build out. An additional $20 million was appropriated in 2021 to expand this technology to other areas in the state.
Regional Incentives
The region offers great incentives and capital resources to support our growing primary-sector businesses.
Autonomous Education Pipeline
Higher Education Partnership
Partnerships with higher education institutions connect leading technology with industry and support talent development.
- SMART Farm at NDSU
- Center for Digital Ag. and Big Data – North Dakota State University (NDSU)
- Second Precision Ag Degree Program in the country – North Dakota State University (NDSU)
- First UAS Operations degree program in the U.S. – University of North Dakota (UND)
- Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS) – A global leader in unmanned and autonomous systems research, application and policy development
- UAS Maintenance Technician program – Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC)
- National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT) – Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC)
- Associates Degree in Precision Agriculture – North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS)
An initiative led by Emerging Prairie that aims to capitalize on the region’s potential in the agriculture and technology industries. The end goal of the Grand Farm initiative is to create a fully autonomous farm that will impact the Fargo-Moorhead Community and beyond by developing new opportunities and accelerating change.
Operates across the state of North Dakota and beyond. The mission of the NPUASTS is to collaborate with FAA and industry partners to develop, systems, rules and procedures to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System without negatively impacting existing general or commercial aviation.
$28 million in infrastructure being built to enable drones across the state to fly Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) of their pilots. This network would be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
The 119th Operations Group operates the MQ-9 Reaper. The unit includes a Mission Control Element and Launch and Recovery Element and is comprised of three squadrons: 178th Attack Squadron, 119th Operations Support Squadron, and 119th Maintenance Squadron.
But don’t take our word for it. Check out the companies below to understand why Fargo-Moorhead is a great place to build your business.
Industry Impact
Earnings (2021)
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Supply (Jobs)
Fargo, ND-MN is a hotspot for this kind of talent. The national average for an area this size is 3,018* employees, while there are 4,508 here.
Earnings Per Job
Earnings per job are below the national average. The national average salary for your industries in an area this size is $145, 312, while in Fargo, ND-MN it is $113,533. Earnings per jobs is the total industry earnings divided by the number of jobs in the industry.
Demand (Job Postings)
Competition from online job postings is about average in Fargo, ND-MN. The national average for an area this size is 109* job posting/mo, while there are 106 here.
Companies & Ecosystem Partners
Educational Completions
Earnings in Unmanned Systems Occupations
Fargo-Moorhead’s labor market epitomizes the Midwestern work ethic. Local employers enjoy a stable base of employees with high productivity, low turnover and low absenteeism.
*Data Source: Lightcast
Education, Incentives and Information
There’s plenty talent to support your long-term success. From a strong K-12 pipeline to diverse classes that graduate plenty of talent.
The region also offers great incentives and capital resources to support our growing primary-sector businesses.
Ecosystem Overview
Vigilant Aerospace Systems
SkySkopes
Boson Motors
Infrastructure, Assets, Partners
- NDSU research and engineering
- NDSCS
- NPUASTS
- Vantis
- UND Aerospace
- Grand Sky UAS Business Park
Regional Incentives
The region offers great incentives and capital resources to support our growing primary-sector businesses.
Autonomous Ed Pipeline
Higher Education Partnership
Partnerships with higher education institutions connect leading technology with industry and support talent development.
- SMART Farm at NDSU
- Center for Digital Ag. and Big Data – North Dakota State University (NDSU)
- Second Precision Ag Degree Program in the country – North Dakota State University (NDSU)
- First UAS Operations degree program in the U.S. – University of North Dakota (UND)
- Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS) – A global leader in unmanned and autonomous systems research, application and policy development
- UAS Maintenance Technician program – Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC)
- National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT) – Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC)
- Associates Degree in Precision Agriculture – North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS)
Grand Farm
An initiative led by Emerging Prairie that aims to capitalize on the region’s potential in the agriculture and technology industries. The end goal of the Grand Farm initiative is to create a fully autonomous farm that will impact the Fargo-Moorhead Community and beyond by developing new opportunities and accelerating change.
Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS)
Operates across the state of North Dakota and beyond. The mission of the NPUASTS is to collaborate with FAA and industry partners to develop, systems, rules and procedures to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System without negatively impacting existing general or commercial aviation.
Statewide BVLOS network
$28 million in infrastructure being built to enable drones across the state to fly Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) of their pilots. This network would be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
Fargo Air Guard 119th Wing
The 119th Operations Group operates the MQ-9 Reaper. The unit includes a Mission Control Element and Launch and Recovery Element and is comprised of three squadrons: 178th Attack Squadron, 119th Operations Support Squadron, and 119th Maintenance Squadron.
But don’t take our word for it. Check out the companies below to understand why Fargo-Moorhead is a great place to build your business.
Partners
Packet Digital
Botlink
Field of View
ISight Drone Services
Vigilant Aerospace Systems
SkySkopes
Prairie Sky UAV
Xcel Energy
Appareo
RDO Integrated Controls
Fargo Jet Center Flight School
Infrastructure, Assets, Partners
Grand Farm
Plug and Play
NDSU
NDSCS
NPUASTS
Vantis
Talent Data of Key Occupations
EMSI
University Degree completion
Ecosystem Overview
Vigilant Aerospace Systems
SkySkopes
Boson Motors
