North Dakota’s statewide unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) system Vantis has officially opened its Mission and Network Operations Center (MNOC). The MNOC serves as the command center and is integral to coordinating beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight.
Vantis signed a long-term agreement with GrandSky and began construction on the MNOC early last year. Simultaneously, Thales was selected as the Vantis system integrator and long-term partner to build out the system. Key site testing and validation flights have been occurring regularly in western North Dakota, in primary test sites near Williston and Watford City which have all been securely monitored at this MNOC. Vantis is working with partner Thales as it expands the buildout to include other areas of the state.
“This is the heart of Vantis,” said Trevor Woods, executive director of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), which administers Vantis. “From this location, we have the technology to monitor and control the remote infrastructure, enabling the entire operation. The MNOC will be integral to coordinating safe, repeatable BVLOS flights across North Dakota, and scalable to larger regions.”
“Today marks a significant step towards the safe and efficient integration of drones into our airspace system,” said Todd Donovan, vice president of Airspace Mobility Solutions for the Americas at Thales. “With the MNOC up and running, drones will deliver real-world economic and social benefits to North Dakota citizens, at scale.”
(Image: Todd Donovan speaks about Thales’ role as system integrator)
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