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Fargo

MQ-9 Drone Flights Concluded at Hector International Airport

Three operators have completed a five-month drone integration project alongside commercial traffic in Fargo.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Emergency Response

Isometric editorial illustration of a gray unmanned aerial vehicle on a minimalist tarmac, representing drone integration into civilian airspace.
General Atomics and Customs and Border Protection have concluded a five-month project successfully integrating MQ-9 drones into shared commercial airspace at Fargo’s Hector International Airport. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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General Atomics and Customs and Border Protection have finished a five-month activity involving MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft at Hector International Airport. The flights were conducted within the airport's shared Class D airspace alongside commercial aviation.

Why it matters

The collaboration highlights the ability to integrate unmanned systems into busy civilian airspace using established coordination protocols. By working with air traffic control, the mission demonstrated that drone operations can occur without disrupting commercial service.

The five-month integration project utilized three remotely piloted aircraft operators. These missions were integrated into the existing Class D airspace traffic at Hector International Airport.

The players

119th Wing

This North Dakota Air National Guard unit has maintained operations at Hector International Airport for more than a decade.

General Atomics

This company specializes in the development of unmanned aerial systems and defense technologies.

CBP Air and Marine Operations

This federal agency utilizes aircraft for national security and law enforcement surveillance missions.

The details

The North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Wing, which has operated from the airport for over a decade, provided operational experience to facilitate the integration. All flights were carefully coordinated with the local air traffic control tower to ensure safety while commercial operations continued as scheduled.

Timeline

  1. The 119th Wing first based operations at the Fargo airport in 1947.

  2. General Atomics and CBP concluded their Fargo Jet Center activity on September 18, 2026.

  3. The report regarding the conclusion of these operations was announced on September 29, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

This project follows the pattern set by the 119th Wing's long-term integration of unmanned aircraft systems into local civilian airspace.

The conclusion of these flights means residents and commercial travelers will see a return to normal aviation patterns at Hector International Airport. All operations have successfully transitioned back to the GrandSKY UAS Business Park and Grand Forks Air Force Base.

The takeaway

The successful integration of drones into civilian airspace proves that unmanned systems can coexist with commercial travel when air traffic control is properly utilized. This case serves as a model for how future regional airports can manage diverse flight demands without sacrificing safety or scheduling efficiency.

Further reading

For more on local coordination and airfield safety, visit the Emergency Response section.

More information

For more details on airport operations, visit the Hector International Airport official website.

Live Poll

Do you support integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the same airspace as commercial passenger flights?