Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations

With 50 years of experience in aviation education, training, and research, UND was the first to offer a UAS degree in 2009. We continue to be national leaders in UAS education today. When you enroll in our unique UND program, you’ll gain the expertise in unmanned aircraft to execute and manage applications in the military, firefighting, disaster relief, law enforcement, surveillance, aerial photography, transports and future uses of this rapidly evolving area. You'll gain expertise to work in a crew environment as a pilot operator, sensor operator, or other key team member of unmanned aircraft systems. You'll also gain a clear understanding of National Airspace System (NAS) safety and operations procedures.

UND is one of the first universities to enter into a long term relationship with the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) and become part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI-UAS) program. We are poised to deliver up-to-date UAS education that matches the requirements of the NAS. This ongoing collaboration with the FAA will further ensure you as a UND student are qualified to enter into careers involving Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Our Grand Forks campus has been called "the Silicon Valley of unmanned aircraft systems" by the New York Times. UND students are given the opportunity to interact with small and large UAS companies and agencies such as Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, SkySkopes, Grand Sky, and Customs Border Protection in a comprehensive UAS ecosystem  In the region, you'll be given options beyond traditional internships to get real-world experience. For example, at the UND Center of Innovation, you can work alongside a legion of UAS startups to solve real-time problems. Flights are conducted regularly where UND flight students are jointly flying next to unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System.

UAS Degree

UND offers a comprehensive UAS Aviation degree. It includes relative topics such as:

• Human factors
• Crew resource management
• Autonomous systems
• Counter UAS applications
• Experience in small, medium and large UAS operations
• Safety management
• Aircraft systems

The UAS degree offers two career tracks to specialize in:

• Low Altitude UAS Commercial Applications and Operations
• Medium/High Altitude Long Endurance UAS Commercial Applications and Operations

AABI Accredited UAS Degree

UND Aerospace was the first four year degree UAS Operation program to receive Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) Accreditation for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). 

Student Achievement Data