Foundational Role From the Beginning

The Federal Aviation Administration BEYOND Phase 2 program is a national initiative designed to safely integrate advanced drone operations into the National Airspace System (NAS). Building on earlier efforts like the Integration Pilot Program (IPP), BEYOND focuses on enabling more complex missions – bigger aircraft, higher altitudes, and longer distances beyond visual line of sight – that move UAS from limited testing into scalable, real-world operations. BEYOND's goals include:

  • Validate new technologies and operational concepts
  • Generate real-world flight data and safety insights
  • Inform future FAA regulations and policy
  • Accelerate capabilities like BVLOS
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Find Out More About BEYOND

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BEYOND Collaboration

A man operating an unmanned vehicle as onlookers stand nearby

Our Role in BEYOND

Through BEYOND partners in the North Dakota Departments of Transportation and Commerce, NPUASTS brings a unique advantage: depth and diversity of real-world operations. By working with a wide range of clients across commercial, public safety and defense sectors, the test site is able to evaluate challenges from multiple perspectives and apply solutions across different use cases.

Key contributions include:

  • Supporting real-world flight operations and data collection
  • Providing subject matter expertise (SME) to FAA working groups
  • Advancing BVLOS operations – an area where NPUASTS has over a decade of experience
  • Helping clients test, validate, and scale new UAS applications
A men with a controller, and two others, stand near a red tent

A Collaborative Effort

Being part of BEYOND provides NPUASTS with direct access to FAA experts, streamlined collaboration and early insight into evolving regulatory frameworks. This translates into tangible benefits for partners, including:

  • Faster resolution of project challenges and approvals
  • Closer alignment with FAA expectations and future rules
  • Access to a national network of UAS leaders and innovators