05.06.16

Hoeven Announces UAS Cooperative Agreement Between UND, DHS

University and Agency to Conduct Joint Research on Preventing Potential UAS Security Threats

WASHINGTON – As Chairman of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Committee, Senator John Hoeven today announced that DHS has agreed to his request to enter into a cooperative agreement with the University of North Dakota (UND) to develop new technologies for countering potential unmanned aerial systems (UAS) security threats.

“The University of North Dakota is conducting innovative work in the unmanned aerial systems sector,” said Hoeven. “Under this agreement, UND and the Department of Homeland Security will be able to build on the work being done in North Dakota to find ways to detect when UAS are being used in criminal or dangerous ways and develop technologies to counter such threats. The UAS industry has enormous benefits, but in the world we live in, we know that our enemies are always looking for ways to cause harm. This joint research will help ensure that we’re able to counter potential threats from UAS.”

Under the agreement, UND and DHS will conduct experiments to identify how UAS may be used, test technologies that counter unlawful or dangerous UAS activities, and develop new methods for monitoring and differentiating between legitimate UAS traffic and harmful uses. They will also investigate and analyze current procedures and regulations established by state and local jurisdictions to identify best practices.

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