Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States North Dakota Grand Forks Air Force Base Grand Sky Drone Park

Grand Sky Drone Park

The U.S.' first commercial park dedicated entirely to flying drones.

Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota

Added By
Dylan Thuras
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Drone’s-eye view of Grand Sky from front gate   Grand Sky on Twitter
U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned aircraft, lands at Grand Forks Air Force Base in 2011   US Air Force
The main gate at Grand Forks Air Force Base   WikiCommons
UAS   Grand Sky
Two MQ-9 Guardian Unmanned Aerial System (pictured above) were based at Grand Forks Air Force Base.   U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Grand Sky Park on Grand Ford Air Force Base   Grand Sky
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

North Dakota, best known to entrepreneurs for its fracking industry and farmland, is now positioning itself as a mecca for flying drones, both large and small.

In the northeast part of the state, just 20 minutes outside the city of Grand Forks, is a business park with the sole purpose of researching and testing unmanned aircraft systems. This is Grand Sky, the first commercial industrial park dedicated to drones.

Grand Sky is located on 217 acres of the Grand Forks Air Force Base, which itself is already a major hub for unmanned aviation systems. The 1.2 million-square-foot facility includes four hangars and multiple buildings. It's also a designated FAA test site; North Dakota's diverse climate and relatively clear airspace make it an attractive spot for drone testing, a unique advantage it's going all-in on.

The Peace Garden State has spent about $34 million to support UAV programs, research, and businesses throughout the state â€”the New York Times even called North Dakota a "Silicon Valley for drones." A large portion of that fund is going toward developing Grand Sky’s industrial park, which began construction in 2015. 

The Grand Sky aviation park is focused on both military and civilian uses of the skyrocketing UAV industry, though the park's first two tenants, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Northrop Grumman, lean toward the former. On the commercial side, the technology park anticipates drone businesses focused on infrastructure such as inspecting wind turbine blades, pipelines, farms and bridges.

And Grand Forks is an ideal location for a drone hive. Aside from being adjacent to the air base, the park also has access to knowledge coming out of the University of North Dakota, one of the leading schools in unmanned aviation studies which has a degree track dedicated to learning how to fly drones.

Meanwhile, Grand Forks Air Force Base has already dived headlong into unmanned aircraft. Established in 1954, the base originally held Cold War weapons and aircrafts such as B-52 bombers loaded with nuclear bombs. Now, it flies nothing but remotely controlled aircraft. It became an all-drone base in 2013, and today, it’s a normal sight to spot the massive coal grey Global Hawk surveillance drone, Reaper drones, or smaller Predator drones flying to and from the base.

Related Tags

Drones Military History Aircraft Parks Technology Industrial Military

Community Contributors

Added By

Dylan

Edited By

Lauren J Young, Shiv, Meg

  • Lauren J Young
  • Shiv
  • Meg

Published

July 6, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.grandforks.af.mil/
  • http://www.grandforks.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/763205/first-grand-sky-tenant-breaks-ground
  • http://www.govtech.com/products/Lease-Between-Grand-Forks-County-Air-Base-for-UAS-Tech-Park-Signed.html
  • http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/region/3999402-grand-forks-air-force-base-received-15m-upgrade-radar-prepare-unmanned-aircraft
  • http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/26/technology/a-silicon-valley-for-drones-in-north-dakota.html
Grand Sky Drone Park
295 Steen Blvd.
Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, 58205
United States
47.95252, -97.382449
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

KVLY-TV Mast

Blanchard, North Dakota

miles away

Old Crossing Treaty Memorial

Huot, Minnesota

miles away

Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site

Cooperstown, North Dakota

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of North Dakota

North Dakota

United States

Places 34
Stories 5

Nearby Places

KVLY-TV Mast

Blanchard, North Dakota

miles away

Old Crossing Treaty Memorial

Huot, Minnesota

miles away

Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site

Cooperstown, North Dakota

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of North Dakota

North Dakota

United States

Places 34
Stories 5

Related Stories and Lists

The Most Curious and Fascinating Places We Came Across This Week

list

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • The water tank

    Oxford, England

    Slade Camp

    A lost World War II military camp and post-war suburb swallowed by the woods.

  • These fighter jets are a relic of a darker time.

    Bitola, North Macedonia

    Abandoned Yugoslavian F-86E Fighter Jets

    These dilapidated planes are now a canvas for graffiti artists.

  • Fernandina Beach, Florida

    Fort Clinch

    Used as a military post in three different engagements, this fort has remained incomplete and unfired upon for nearly 200 years.

  • Orlando, Florida

    Colonel Joe Kittinger Park

    Get up close to an F-4 Phantom flown in the Vietnam War at this Florida park.

  • F14 Fighter Jet

    Alameda, California

    USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum

    After serving in World War II and picking up Apollo astronauts, this aircraft carrier has been turned into a museum overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

  • Zephyrhills, Florida

    Zephyrhills Museum of Military History

    This facility, now a museum, once housed and trained U.S. Army Air Force pilots who flew during the Allied invasion of Normandy.

  • The outside of one of the bunkers.

    Wilmington, Illinois

    Joliet Army Ammunition Plant

    This national park dedicated to the tallgrass prairie ecosystem still displays its military past.

  • Remaining two radar towers and roll-top observatory. (2020)

    Great Falls, Virginia

    Great Falls Nike Fire Control Site W-83

    This former Cold War missile control site played an important role in the creation of GPS.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.