Project ULTRA shows off first simulation of unmanned cargo transportation project

A new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) initiative focused on practical military drone applications, Project ULTRA, debuted last week with a simulation of the unmanned movement of cargo payloads for over 100 km.

It was the Department of Defense’s (DoD) first task order related to the project, building upon $25 million in funding secured by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) meant to aid collaborative research between the DoD, NASA, and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.

“Project ULTRA is underway,” Hoeven said. “We provided the funding, helped build the partnerships and got the contract with DoD in place. Now with this first simulation, the project partners are preparing to demonstrate the practical UAS applications they’ve been tasked with, the first being moving cargo between military installations using unmanned aircraft. To be clear, this isn’t about technology development. North Dakota already leads the way in that work, with more than a decade under our belt. We designed Project ULTRA to prioritize demonstration and speed, drawing upon all of our efforts to date to provide real and timely solutions for our military installations, starting here in Grand Forks.”

The DoD task order directed Project ULTRA to begin simulating the movement between military installations of cargo payloads of at least 25 kg. It also came in preparation for an expected second task order this fall, which will conduct a demonstration flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Space Force Station.

Eventually, Project ULTRA intends to take various applications from research to practice and demonstration, and lay out a template for UAS activities as other installations across the country. Supply delivery, base inspections and installation security will all be on the docket, backed by an open contract valued at up to $18.25 million and the potential for more funding in years to come.

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