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- By Native News Online Staff
On April 24, Osage LLC celebrated a major milestone as Candy Thomas, Director of Self-Governance and Strategic Planning for the Osage Nation, and Osage LLC Board Member Rick Perrier accepted the keys to the newly renovated Skyway36 drone testing facility from Darren Burns, President and CEO of Wallace Design Collective.
The state-of-the-art, 19,000-square-foot facility features advanced capabilities for simulating natural wind and weather conditions, enabling highly repeatable drone testing. Its completion strengthens Skyway36’s role as a central hub for the Tulsa Regional Advanced Mobility (TRAM) Cluster.
Funded by a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, construction began in May 2024. The project marks a key achievement in a collaborative public-private initiative to position Tulsa and the Osage Nation as national leaders in advanced aerial mobility. Key partners include U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), Tulsa Innovation Labs, and the City of Tulsa.
Thomas credited DronePort Network for its leadership in drone scalability and praised Bronze Oak LLC for its professionalism. She also acknowledged the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) for ensuring smooth communication and coordination among all partners.
Next, Skyway36 will welcome its first tenant, Swiss-based WindShape, which will bring eight specialized labs for drone testing. These include climate, propulsion, and free-flight activity labs equipped with GPS generators, motion tracking systems, and other advanced tools. A welcoming ceremony for WindShape is expected later this spring or early summer.
Osage LLC CEO Russell Goff noted that the facility’s opening represents more than just a construction achievement—it’s the realization of a regional vision for innovation and economic growth.
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