• NHSC Drone Project

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The goal of the MHA Nation Drone Project planning grant is to develop infrastructure to support government-to-government relationships to improve access to basic needs using autonomous systems (drones) on the Tribal lands of the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT) of the Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation. This effort will include building a sustainable foundation to integrate the use of UAS, which is repeatable and scalable. Specifically, the project will demonstrate the use of UASs/drones to ensure better access to medical care and equipment and potentially other use cases. The priority use case is the application of drones to deliver medical supplies between Twin Buttes, ND, and New Town, ND across the Missouri River in northwestern North Dakota.

PURPOSE OF GRANT

This funding is provided by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) to the TAT (MHA Nation) on the Fort Berthold Reservation. The partners on the project include the University of North Dakota, Northern Plains UAS Test Site, Thales, and Airspace Link. The primary mission is to develop a safe, efficient, and scalable network within MHA Nation to deliver products and services using drones on these tribal lands.

The Three Affiliated Tribes of MHA Nation will work with their university and industry partners to (1) finalize a community assessment of needs to support decisions regarding future use cases, (2) determine the economic viability of using drones to improve the quality of life on these tribal lands, (3) expand workforce capacity and development in collaboration with the NHS College and Boys and Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, (4) expand government to government partnership efforts, (5) plan for integration of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations on tribal lands through application of the Vantis Network and (6) evaluate the effectiveness of planning and protocol development activities with anticipation of a request for Stage 2 funding.

Key Initiatives/Projects

MHA DRONE CAMP

A partnership with the UND Aerospace, RIAS, NHS College and the TAT Boys and Girls Club

Drone Camp Personnel: Several personnel hosted the drone camp on October 20, 2023, at the Earth Lodge Village in New Town ND. They include personnel from NHS College including Kerry Hartman, Prairie Rose Seminole, Shadlynn Severance, Jordan Conklin, Brian Dover, Matt Murdock, and Kacey Murdock. UND personnel included Jordan Krueger, Zack Reeder, Dan Myles, Donald Rescignio Scott Keane, Isack Yetzech, and Rylee Dahlen. Northern Plains UAS Test Site included Landon Johnson, Jeremy Amundson, and Sam Johnson. Airspace Link personnel included Mivsam Yekutiel and Sonny Beach. The GIS Office at Three Affiliated Tribes hosted a workstation (one of five) with volunteers including Tanya Sand-Driver and Lee Voight.
DRONES IN SCHOOL
UND Aerospace partners operating drone camp in New Town Public High School and Twin Buttes School
Our Drones in Schools program introduces students to the exciting world of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Through hands-on learning, students explore drone technology, safety, and applications while developing skills in STEM, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The program aims to inspire the next generation of innovators by providing opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and real-world experience in this rapidly growing field.

GALLERY