Tom Swoyer receives renamed UAS Sky Pioneer Award at summit in Grand Forks

Tom Swoyer, founder and president of GrandSKY, received the renamed Senator John Hoeven UAS Sky Pioneer Award on Oct. 14 at the 20th annual UAS Summit & Expo in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The honor recognizes his role in building GrandSKY and helping make North Dakota a national hub for unmanned aircraft systems.

Why it matters: - The award highlights Grand Forks’ growing role in unmanned aviation research, testing and defense work. - GrandSKY’s development has helped create a UAS ecosystem that connects government, military, academia and industry in North Dakota. - The recognition also reflects the region’s push to expand beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight operations and commercial UAS use.

What happened: - Tom Swoyer, founder and president of GrandSKY, received the UAS Sky Pioneer Award on Oct. 14 during the general session of the 20th annual UAS Summit & Expo. - BBI International awards the honor at the event, which is produced by UAS Magazine and BBI International. - The award has been renamed the Senator John Hoeven UAS Sky Pioneer Award for the summit’s 20th anniversary. - The renamed award honors Hoeven’s long involvement in North Dakota’s UAS industry and his role as the inaugural recipient.

The details: - The Sky Pioneer Award recognizes people who have made groundbreaking contributions to the unmanned aircraft systems industry. - Recipients are recognized for leadership, innovation and technological breakthroughs. - Hoeven has supported the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, GrandSKY and broader UAS research, testing and integration efforts for more than two decades. - Swoyer is recognized for helping establish GrandSKY, described as the nation’s first UAS-focused business and aviation park. - Swoyer has spent more than a decade helping transform Grand Forks into a UAS research, development, testing and defense innovation hub. - John Nelson, chief operating officer of BBI International and UAS Magazine, said Swoyer’s work helped build an ecosystem that attracts world-class companies and creates new opportunities. - GrandSKY covers 217 acres at Grand Forks Air Force Base. - Since 2015, Swoyer has worked with Grand Forks County, the U.S. Air Force, North Dakota, congressional leaders and industry partners on the project. - Swoyer developed the site’s master plan and helped build the infrastructure, airspace access and partnerships needed for large-scale UAS operations. - GrandSKY gives partners access to the 12,351-foot runway at Grand Forks Air Force Base and more than 11,000 square miles of beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight capability. - GrandSKY has attracted Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for research, testing, training and flight operations. - In 2018, GrandSKY served as the departure point for the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft. - GrandSKY has also been an early proving ground for commercial BVLOS operations.

Between the lines: - Renaming the award ties the honor more closely to North Dakota’s UAS policy history and its current industry ambitions. - The recognition signals that physical infrastructure, regulatory coordination and public-private partnerships have become central to UAS growth. - Swoyer’s work shows how a business park can function as both an economic development tool and an industry testbed.

What's next: - GrandSKY is positioned to keep supporting advanced UAS operations, defense work and commercial BVLOS activity. - North Dakota is likely to continue using Grand Forks as a base for attracting aerospace and defense investment. - The renamed award will continue recognizing leaders who extend the state’s UAS momentum.