The Associated Press
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. — North Dakota's Air National Guard this fall will begin operating a practice range for drone aircraft, which will give pilots more practical training than they can get from simulators, the unit's commander said.
The Federal Aviation Administration has established blocks of restricted airspace for the training, located up to 10,000 feet above a spot near Camp Grafton South, between Devils Lake and Jamestown. The airspace is above about 9,300 acres of ground area.
Col. Rick Gibney, commander of the 119th Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard, said he expects flights to begin in late September or early October.
Operators of the Predator drones will be aiming lasers at targets on the ground. The lasers are used on the battlefield to designate targets for guided missiles and bombs.
Predators are capable of flying at high altitudes for long periods for surveillance, and they also can be equipped to carry missiles.
"People may hear airplanes flying above, but there will be no lights visible and no explosions," Gibney told the Grand Forks Herald.
The Predators are based at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. They will be flown from Fargo by the 119th Wing's 30 pilots. Gibney said there initially will be one or two drone flights a week in the restricted space, and the number is likely to increase.
"A lot of it will be dependent on real-world situations," he said.
Pilot groups, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, had fought the proposal to set aside the restricted space. The FAA decided, however, that the impact on private planes would be minimal because the space already is rarely used.
The agency said an average of four flights cut through the area daily, almost all of which are general aviation flights.
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