Burgum expands Northern Plains Unmanned Systems Authority to include tech, transportation expertise

Gov. Doug Burgum today signed an executive order expanding the membership of the Northern Plains Unmanned Systems Authority to include members with technology and transportation expertise to support operations of the state’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) network.

The order expands the Authority’s number of voting members from seven to nine by adding the director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the state’s chief information officer. Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford chairs the Authority.

The Authority’s six other voting members are:

• The University of North Dakota’s vice president for research and economic development.
• North Dakota State University’s vice president of research and creative activity.
• The director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.
• The commissioner of commerce or the commissioner’s designee.
• The adjutant general or the adjutant general’s designee.
• An individual appointed by the governor from a list of at least three names provided by the Aviation Association.

The Authority was established in 2013. Its mission is to provide oversight for the operation of a UAS test site for the integration of unmanned systems into the national airspace.