44803 Waivers

Beyond the Buzz (episode 18) - 44803 Waivers 

December 12, 2025 

Jeremy Amundson, NPUASTS: 

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this episode of Beyond the Buzz. This is our 18th episode of Beyond the Buzz, and today we're focusing on how a 44803 approval can accelerate testing, reduce barriers, and support higher-altitude operations. I'm joined by Jim Richtsmeier with Ideal Aerosmith. Ideal Aerosmith is one of the companies actively flying under our 44803 approval. Thanks for being here, Jim. 

Jim Richtsmeier, Ideal Aerosmith: 

Thanks for having me on. It's great to see everyone. 

Jeremy: 

Not a problem. Jim, for those who don't know a little bit about Ideal Aerosmith, could you please tell us about Ideal Aerosmith and what you guys have going on? 

Jim: 

Sure. Ideal Aerosmith is a relatively old company. Most people don't know that we've been here in the Red River Valley on the North Dakota-Minnesota border for more than 40 years. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. 

Jim: 

We've been here a long time doing manufacturing, navigation, and different defense work. More recently, we got involved in the UAV industry almost 20 years ago testing autopilots, so we're really a longtime player in the UAV industry. 

Part of what we've done is a lot of modeling and simulation work. We built on what we're doing in modeling and simulation and decided to get into the UAV manufacturing business. The Prairie Hawk is the UAV that we've been flying. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. 

Jim: 

We're looking to make an entrance into the UAV industry and are excited about the potential. Right now, it's all about developing the airframe. That's what led us to the test site. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. Fantastic. I have a question about the Prairie Hawk. When did you guys really start developing that airframe? 

Jim: 

It's been about two years. 

Jeremy: 

Two years. Okay. 

Jim: 

We've been working on the airframe. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. 

Jim: 

And we've been flying for a little bit over a year. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. When you started flying it, were you flying Part 107 flights? 

Jim: 

Yes, Part 107. We were able to stay under 55 pounds, but then we outgrew that as we needed more fuel and more items on the aircraft. 

Jeremy: 

Gotcha. So that really leads into our next question. Why the 44803 approval? 

Jim: 

Obviously, the airframe is in development, with a lot of changes. Once we got into the Prairie Hawk program, we knew it was intended for long endurance, so we knew we needed a lot of fuel. We rapidly got beyond the ability to stay under 55 pounds. 

Being in North Dakota, we knew about the test site and went to them, explained what we were up against, and discussed the limitations of being under 400 feet. They explained the 44803 approval to us, what provisions it had, and what it would allow us to do. We felt that was the instrument we needed at the point the program was at. 

Jeremy: 

Okay. Fantastic. I'm glad we were able to get you guys up in the air. Can you tell me a little bit about what it was like in practice? Walk us through your experience. Was it a pretty quick process to get up in the air? 

Jim: 

Yeah. It really went pretty quickly. I think that was one thing that was exciting for us. We talked to the test site, and the answer was simply yes, you can do it. 

For people who have been flying UAVs, they know "yes" isn't normally the answer you hear. There are a lot of regulations. We really looked to the test site to help us understand the process. 

Obviously, when you're operating in the national airspace, safety is always important for people, property, and other aircraft. It's not that you can just go out and fly without preparation. We understood the requirements. The test site told us what we needed in terms of checklists, pilots, and visual observers—everything required to help build the safety case to operate under their 44803 approval. 

Jeremy: 

Sure. Fantastic. You guys flew over 1,000 feet in the air, versus the under-400-foot limitation under Part 107. Can you tell me a little bit about the first two flight events? I know you were looking at endurance flights. How many hours were you able to get on the aircraft? 

Jim: 

Our longest flight was about nine and a half hours. That flight was not set up for night operations at the time, so we had to end it at darkness and bring it back down. 

We also completed a night flight that was just under nine hours. We were able to do a lot of things. One of the questions we asked the test site was whether we could fly at night. 

Jeremy: 

Yep. 

Jim: 

The answer was yes. 

Obviously, there were requirements that came with that. We had to make sure we had lighting on the aircraft and things like that. But having a pathway to fly was really the great part of the experience.  

Jeremy: 

Sure. Did you feel like working with the test site and the planning and safety risk assessment helped mature your operations, going from Part 107 to being able to fly a Group 3 aircraft fully loaded with fuel and trying to get into other areas of the national airspace? 

Jim: 

Yeah, it was a great learning experience for us. We did have people who had experience flying UAVs before, but every mission is different. 

The test site walked us through what the FAA is expecting and what the best practices are. I think that's one thing you learn in any development program—no matter how much you know, there's always more that you don't know. 

Being able to work with the test site, gain experience in different areas, and benefit from the insight you guys have from conducting many different operations was very important. It's a great resource that we have here in North Dakota. 

Jeremy: 

Absolutely. Based on your experience, what advice would you give other companies looking to get a large aircraft, near a Group 3 aircraft, up in the air and leverage some of the approvals that Northern Plains Test Site currently has? 

Jim: 

I think the first message is: come to Grand Forks. 

We have a great UAV ecosystem here. All the people and organizations in the area make it an exciting place to be. 

The test site and what we were able to do under the 44803 approval provided exactly the instrument we needed to be able to fly. Obviously, we're still in development. At this point, it's not about how the Prairie Hawk will work for a customer or what approvals or methods it will ultimately operate under. That's going to depend on the customer and the application for the UAV. 

But we felt this was the right instrument to get flying, continue development, finalize and mature all of our aircraft subsystems, and keep making progress. 

Jeremy: 

Fantastic. One thing we run into here in North Dakota is weather. For you guys, how important is it to be able to fly 12 months out of the year? 

Jim: 

Obviously, we're doing a lot of development, so we need to fly. 

Weather is a factor, and even if the aircraft can fly in the weather, it's not always the greatest time to be outside. Days like today can get a little chilly if you're the visual observer standing outside during operations. 

Interestingly enough, we also have an operation in Maryland. We're working with the test site to get a field where we had previously conducted Part 107 flights added to the 44803 approval so we can fly with the test site in Maryland. 

It's another option—not exactly Florida, but a little warmer in January than it is here in Grand Forks. 

Jeremy: 

And with that, I understand you guys are currently working through that process. It sounds like things are going well to get that approval and hopefully start flying in early 2026. 

Do you plan to continue flying in North Dakota as the weather warms up as well? 

Jim: 

Yeah. Obviously, our corporate headquarters are here, and we have a lot of activity going on. 

We signed a contract with the test site, and we're going to be doing a lot of flights here in North Dakota and also some flights at our field in Maryland. 

Jeremy: 

Okay, perfect. 

As far as long-term goals, part of the test site's role is to enable others to get up in the air and be a partner with you—not necessarily to act as the enforcement arm of the FAA, but to teach you and help you understand the provisions and regulations involved. 

For you guys long term, where do you see Ideal Aerosmith and this airframe going? Do you see it potentially moving beyond visual line of sight operations? What are you looking for? 

Jim: 

Another reason we're excited about being here in North Dakota and working with the test site is that this is a long-endurance aircraft. 

As soon as you start talking about long endurance, there are a few applications where you might want to remain over a well site for a long duration while staying in one location. But generally, when you're talking about long-duration operations, you're covering larger distances. 

That naturally leads to beyond visual line of sight operations. 

Having that capability here and being able to work with the test site and use Vantis creates many opportunities. We can go to the test site and ask, "What do we need to do if we want to fly this type of mission?" and get guidance on the best way to accomplish it. 

We know the test site's 44803 approval is a great option for what we're doing right now. We also know there will be scenarios where the 44803 approval won't be the right instrument. 

But we know we can go to the test site, get input, and determine the best method for the next scenario. The broad range of capabilities available here in North Dakota is a tremendous asset. 

Jeremy: 

That's great. I appreciate that because we definitely want to understand what the industry is looking for and how we can continue building capabilities here in North Dakota. 

Obviously, we want people to come here and fly, and we want to support companies that may not be looking to conduct cold-weather flights at this time. But if cold-weather testing is what you're looking for, don't let that stop you. 

I guess we should open it up to questions. 

Question #1: 

Where exactly did you fly, and what other options are there to fly in North Dakota under a 44803 approval? Are there other locations available, or is it specific to one location? 

Jeremy (Question #1): 

Sure. I can definitely take that. 

Ideal Aerosmith flew out of the Mayville Municipal Airport. 

We also have approvals in place at Gorman Field at Grand Sky UAS Business Park. The approval at Gorman Field is very similar to the one at Mayville Airport, allowing operations up to 1,200 feet AGL. 

Using the DASAR radar at Grand Sky, you can actually fly a Group 3 aircraft up to 18,000 feet. 

The capabilities depend on the facility where the 44803 approval is in place. We have several approvals throughout North Dakota. We also have an approval in western North Dakota utilizing the Vantis Beyond Visual Line of Sight network. 

As Jim mentioned, we're currently working on an approval in Maryland, and we're also working on one in Oklahoma. 

It's a significant advantage for us as a test site to be able to expand these locations. We can come to you, or you can come to us in North Dakota, depending on your use case.  

Jim (Question #1): 

Obviously, UND is another great partner here. We had actually looked at flying at Gorman Field, and that was our first choice because of the proximity to Grand Forks. 

Unfortunately, for takeoff and recovery, we're currently using a truck launch system, and there isn't a runway at Gorman Field. That was what drove us to operate out of Mayville. 

Jeremy (Question #1): 

Absolutely. That's a good point. 

For us at the test site, I think that's part of the evolution of this process. Whether you're looking to fly beyond visual line of sight, need a runway, or are operating a multirotor aircraft, we want to make sure we have those capabilities at different locations across the United States. 

Everybody's different. We want to make sure we have the right capabilities available for the right industry to be successful and take their operations to the next level. 

I know our first week of flying at Mayville was roughly 70 degrees with less than 10 mph winds, and I said it's usually like this about 11 and a half months out of the year. 

Then our second operation had no wind again, and I said, "See, it's like this all the time in North Dakota." 

That definitely helps. It goes so quickly from 70 degrees to zero and subzero wind chills. I'm glad our team is working with you guys to get an approval in place and hopefully begin flying on the East Coast early next year. 

Jim: 

Another thing about the test site is that they were really flexible. 

We're in development, and things change. Parts don't always arrive when they're supposed to. We had to reschedule flights, and the test site was able to work with us and accommodate those changes. 

It was another great experience. They knew the people at the Mayville Airport, and during our first operation there was still agricultural spraying going on. Everything that needed to be done to coordinate with the local people was handled. 

Overall, it was a great experience and helped make it work for everyone involved. 

Jeremy: 

Absolutely. 

I think that's one of the advantages of coming to North Dakota. We're a large state with a relatively low population. Everybody says everybody knows everybody. Maybe not quite to that level, but it is easy for us at the test site to coordinate with UND and Grand Sky. 

I know the Mayville Airport manager personally. He's a good friend of mine from growing up, so I would say that definitely helps. 

One thing you said triggered something in my mind. Most approvals we've worked with in the past were one-off approvals for a locked-down aircraft configuration. 

These 44803 approvals are great because they're for Group 3 aircraft, they're aircraft agnostic, and you can make changes as you conduct research and development on the aircraft. 

I think that's one significant advantage from the Ideal Aerosmith perspective. 

Jim: 

Yeah, that was one of the major differences between the 44803 approval and other methods. 

The approval was really aircraft agnostic. We still had to prove the safety case for what we were flying, but it was manageable. 

We weren't starting all over every time we decided to switch the autopilot to a different model. 

Jeremy: 

That's great. I'm glad the test site has been able to help you guys out. 

Any other questions? 

Question #2: 

Thanks for the great information and for sharing your perspectives and successes on both sides. 

When you look at a Group 3 aircraft and leveraging a 44803 approval, as Jim pointed out, it allows you to develop the aircraft, make changes, and make adjustments. 

When you look at next steps from the FAA perspective, what does that look like in terms of moving toward commercial operations? 

Do the 44803 flights benefit manufacturers and operators by demonstrating airworthiness, or how do Group 3 manufacturers and operators move toward having their own airworthiness approvals? 

Jeremy (Question #2): 

That's a great question. 

I would say that's a huge challenge for the test site because we act as a bridge to the FAA. We provide data from the flights we conduct. 

Since these flights are aircraft agnostic, the data we're collecting is helping move rules and regulations forward, including Part 108 for beyond visual line of sight, repeatable, scalable operations, and Part 146 as well. 

I think we're much closer to commercialization now than we were when I first started at the test site. At that time, I thought it would take only a year or two before flights would support broader commercial operations. 

Being able to conduct civil flights, rather than public aircraft operations tied directly to government entities, is a significant step. 

As Jim mentioned, companies are also working toward obtaining their own civil COAs. Things have advanced rather quickly over the last 18 months to two years. 

I see a lot of positive developments coming from the FAA, and I think this is a significant step in that process. 

Question #3: 

Do flight hours count for something with the FAA regarding that process? 

Jeremy (Question #3): 

At this point, I would say no. 

The FAA is still defining the process when it comes to aircraft airworthiness. As you mentioned, durability requirements and mapping those processes from traditional manned aircraft certification remain challenging. 

However, I think this is a significant piece of the puzzle and will help move that process forward. 

Question #4: 

So documenting your changes in the design is important? 

Jeremy (Question #4): 

Correct. 

Question #4 (Follow-Up): 

Showing that you're paying attention to those small details and carrying them forward as you work toward a final design contributes to that process. 

Jeremy: 

Yep. Very well said. 

Question #4 (Follow-Up): 

Thanks. 

Question #5: 

There's a question in the chat for Jim. Is Ideal Aerosmith developing any other UAS besides the Prairie Hawk? 

Jim (Question #5): 

Of course. We're an idea company. 

The Prairie Hawk is the only aircraft currently flying, but we have lots of different ideas and concepts we're working on. 

Jeremy: 

With that, I really appreciate you coming on, Jim. 

I'm glad the test site has been able to help you get to a place where you can continue advancing your operations. It's companies like Ideal Aerosmith that demonstrate how a 44803 approval can be effective and help mature operations. 

We definitely appreciate that. 

If any other organization is interested in working with the test site, we can help you. Whether you want to fly in North Dakota or in your own backyard, if you have a large aircraft, we can help get you into the air. 

The approval is aircraft agnostic, and we're happy to help. Please reach out. 

Jim: 

Thanks for having me. 

Jeremy: 

Thanks, Jim.