The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has been named a new federal test site for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), strengthening Indiana’s role in the commercialization and regulation of next-generation drone technologies.
The designation was announced Jan. 8, 2026, by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration. Indiana joins the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as the latest additions to the FAA’s UAS Test Site Program, bringing the total number of active sites nationwide to nine.
Indiana’s test site will support the development and evaluation of civil unmanned aircraft and related technologies for integration into the National Airspace System. The program enables testing across use cases such as infrastructure inspection, medical delivery, agriculture, logistics, and advanced air mobility. According to the FAA, more than 870,000 drones are currently registered in the United States, including over 390,000 commercial drones, with commercial UAS activity growing at double-digit rates annually.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the program is central to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in drone technology. Drones are already being deployed to inspect pipelines, survey transportation corridors, and deliver critical medical supplies, sectors projected to contribute more than $50 billion annually to the U.S. economy by 2030, according to industry estimates.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford noted that expanding the national test site network accelerates regulatory readiness and safe commercialization. The designation follows an executive order issued by Donald Trump aimed at strengthening domestic drone manufacturing, reducing reliance on foreign technology, and advancing U.S. leadership in unmanned aviation systems.
For Indiana, the designation positions the state to attract UAS-related investment, support workforce development in aviation and advanced manufacturing, and participate directly in shaping federal drone policy and deployment standards.
