Switzerland’s WindShape Opens Drone Testing Facility in Oklahoma

Swiss-based WindShape, Inc. has opened a drone testing facility at Skyway Range on the Osage Nation Reservation near Tulsa, Oklahoma. According to a statement by WindShape, the 20,000 square foot facility will “offer innovative research and testing of unmanned systems, like drones, not currently available anywhere else in the nation.”

WindShape, a drone testing solutions firm using wind and weather simulation systems, was attracted to the region by a partnership between Osage LLC, the Osage Nation’s business enterprise, and Tulsa Innovation Labs, a regional group that connects “resources, people and ideas to fuel economic growth.” WindShape reported that its primary mission in locating its facility in Oklahoma is “to foster the expansion of the commercial drone industry by providing essential data that improves safety within the National Airspace System.

At the new facility, WindShape test drones using “in a controlled environment that can accurately simulate wind, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures—all indoors.” These tests, the company asserted, “underscores Tulsa’s momentum toward becoming the Drone Capital of the World.”

Discussing the announcement, WindShape CEO Guillaume Catry said, “Opening this facility in Tulsa reflects a strategic choice. Oklahoma is building one of the nation’s most advanced environments for autonomous flight. By combining wind and weather simulation with the region’s strong UAS ecosystem, we are proud to help companies test drones safely, speed certification, and create high-skill jobs for the future of aerospace.”

Source: Press Release