USA Drone Port / National Unmanned Robotic Research & Development Center Employee Directory
Research ServicesKentucky, United States2-10 Employees
USA Drone Port / National Unmanned Robotic Research & Development Center is a research services facility located in Hazard, Kentucky. The center aims to provide research and development opportunities in unmanned systems for a range of users, including small and large businesses, educational institutions, and government entities, with plans to support aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic unmanned vehicles. Its infrastructure envisions a 3500-foot runway, multiple helipads, advanced manufacturing capabilities, 3-D printing, office space, an indoor unmanned systems testing facility, and a hangar capable of housing larger drones, all supported by high-speed Internet access and classroom facilities for education partners. The project emphasizes testing and refinement of autonomous technologies in accessible airspace to enable beyond-line-of-sight operations and collaboration across sector-governed, private, and academic stakeholders. The facility positions itself within the broader unmanned systems industry as a hub for development and experimentation in rural eastern Kentucky, leveraging regional airspace to advance drone technologies for applications such as delivery, agriculture, and search and rescue. Recent information notes ongoing development near Hazard, Kentucky, underscoring its role as a pioneering aeronautics facility focused on unmanned systems research.