The Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS) is opening its Vantis system to operators at no cost starting July 1, enabling them to fly UAS beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) on North Dakota's statewide BVLOS network.

Operators who join will get API access and onboarding on the statewide UAS system, along with direct access to NPUASTS personnel and technical expertise as they begin flights on the state's BVLOS infrastructure.

Trevor Woods, NPUASTS executive director, said the free-access period, which will run for at least the next year, gives operators a chance to gain experience ahead of anticipated FAA rulemaking. He pointed to agriculture, bridge inspections, and medical services as use cases the system can support now.

The timing lines up with North Dakota's peak flying season, and NPUASTS said the access will extend into winter and spring flight scenarios heading into 2027.

NPUASTS is partnering with Thales to onboard operators onto Vantis, including training on the system and API access for missions flown withbNDAA-compliant aircraft. Susan Gallagher, director of ATC for Thales North America's U.S. sector, said the partnership supports the FAA's goal of integrating UAS into the National Airspace System and expands access for use cases including emergency response and medical delivery.

The free access also includes NPUASTS' Section 44803 approvals within Vantis coverage areas, letting operators fly aircraft weighing up to 1,320 pounds at altitudes up to 17,999 feet mean sea level, depending on location.

Woods framed North Dakota's UAS program, now more than two decades in development, as a model that other states and agencies are already studying as they build out their own BVLOS systems.

Vantis, launched with an initial state investment in 2019, was the nation's first statewide BVLOS system and provides infrastructure and regulatory approvals supporting commercial and public UAS operations across multiple industries.