NIAR's mission is to strengthen Wichita State University's research capabilities,
provide applied learning opportunities for students, and support the aviation and
manufacturing industries. NIAR aims to drive innovation and prosperity for the community,
region and state.
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University and
Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems today announced a landmark strategic partnership designed
to position Kansas as the nation’s leading hub for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)
operations, uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) testing, advanced aerial mobility (AAM)
and autonomous flight development.
“Kelly Hills offers access to nearly 49,000 square miles of airspace, a robust detect‑and‑avoid
architecture, and a growing roster of commercial and government users,” said John
Tomblin, WSU executive vice president for Research and Industry and Defense Programs
and NIAR executive director. “Combined with NIAR’s engineering depth and industry
relationships, we are creating a national asset that accelerates innovation and commercialization.”
Under the new framework, NIAR and Kelly Hills will combine their complementary strengths:
NIAR’s engineering, certification and integration capabilities with Kelly Hills’ radar
network, operational expertise and expansive test range – in partnership with one
of the Federal Aviation Administration’s designated UAS test sites, University of
Alaska Fairbanks UAS Test Site. The partnership creates the most comprehensive UAS/AAM
test and experimentation ecosystem in the United States.
“This partnership between NIAR and Kelly Hills strengthens Kansas’ place as a global
leader in aviation innovation and supports the advancement of UAS and AAM technologies,”
said U.S. Senator Jerry Moran. “By bringing together NIAR’s engineering expertise
with Kelly Hills’ capabilities, Kansas is well positioned to continue leading the
way in shaping the future of aviation while strengthening opportunities for our skilled
workforce.”
The new NIAR/Kelly Hills Advanced Flight Test Range represents a unified statewide
capability to federal agencies, OEMs, defense organizations and commercial operators.
The partnership enables:
Joint customer engagement and proposal development across federal, state, defense
and commercial programs
Integrated flight test as a service, autonomy, counter UAS and long‑range BVLOS mission
support
Delivering end-to-end solutions for customers from concept to manufacturing/production Shared strategy for future infrastructure including radar expansion, corridor extensions
and integrated traffic management and detect and avoid systems
Both organizations have established a joint leadership working group to allow regular
coordination on operations, infrastructure and strategic priorities. The partnership
includes an annual strategic review to align investments, federal and state funding
opportunities, and long‑term development of Kansas’ aviation technology ecosystem.
“Together, NIAR and Kelly Hills aim to deliver the complete lifecycle of UAS and AAM
advancement – from concept and design through flight test, certification, operational
deployment and ultimately production,” said Pierre Harter, WSU associate vice president
of research and industry engagement. “This partnership positions Kansas as the premier
destination for emerging aviation technology.”
“Our work together supports critical missions across agriculture, emergency response,
logistics and national security,” said Lukas Koch, CEO of Kelly Hills. “This partnership
accelerates technologies that make communities and our nation safer, operations more
efficient, and industries more resilient.”
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling
more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences
and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more
than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered
and innovation-driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in
the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),
Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of
applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering
R&D, No. 2 for industry- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 overall for
engineering R&D.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one
of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing
over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
