U.S. Army Opens Five Test Ranges to Private Industry for Drone Development
The U.S. Army designated Camp Grayling in Michigan and four other sites—including Dugway Proving Ground (Utah), Yuma Proving Ground (Arizona), Camp Shelby (Mississippi), and a site in Morocco—as national drone test ranges open to private industry. The initiative aims to accelerate drone and counter-drone technology development to compete with China, featuring year-round testing across multiple domains and a dedicated electromagnetic warfare test event simulating Ukraine war conditions. Companies can access ranges via an online portal without prior government partnerships.
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Army opens test ranges to private industry for drone and counter-drone development
The U.S. Army announced it is opening military test ranges to private industry to accelerate the development and testing of drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and cheap interceptors. Companies can request range access through an online portal even without an existing government partnership. The initiative includes four U.S. ranges (Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, West Cibola Range in Arizona, Camp Shelby in Mississippi, Camp Grayling in Michigan) and one international site in Morocco. Camp Grayling will host a quarterly 'electromagnetic unreliability test event' simulating conditions from the Ukraine war. The move aligns with Pentagon efforts to streamline counter-drone acquisition and expedite weapons production amid reports of depleted Patriot interceptor inventories. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll emphasized removing bureaucratic barriers for companies with good ideas. The initiative is led by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command with National Guard and U.S. Africa Command collaboration.
U.S. Army Opens Military Test Ranges to Private Industry for Drone and Weapons Development
The U.S. Army announced it is opening five military test ranges to private industry, including sites in Utah, Arizona, Mississippi, Michigan, and Morocco, to accelerate the development and testing of drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors. Companies can request access via an online portal without needing an existing government partnership. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll emphasized removing bureaucratic barriers. Camp Grayling in Michigan will host a recurring electromagnetic unreliability test event simulating electronic warfare conditions from the Ukraine war. The initiative, led by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, follows Pentagon efforts to streamline counter-drone acquisition and expedite critical weapons production amid reports of depleted Patriot interceptor inventories.
U.S. Army Opens Military Test Ranges to Private Industry for Drone and Weapons Testing
The U.S. Army announced it is opening five military test ranges—four in the U.S. and one in Morocco—to private industry to accelerate the development and testing of drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors. Companies can request access via an online portal even without an existing government partnership. The initiative, led by the Army Test and Evaluation Command, includes a dedicated electromagnetic unreliability test event at Camp Grayling, Michigan, simulating electronic warfare conditions observed in Ukraine. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll emphasized removing bureaucratic barriers. The move aligns with broader Pentagon efforts to speed up drone and counter-drone acquisition, including the creation of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and an online marketplace, amid reports of depleted Patriot interceptor inventories following the U.S.-Iran conflict.
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U.S. Army Designates Camp Grayling as One of Four National Drone Test Sites
The U.S. Army has selected Camp Grayling and the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in northern Michigan as one of four national sites where private drone manufacturers can test their technology alongside the military. The designation, announced by Senator Elissa Slotkin, aims to accelerate U.S. drone development to compete with China. The site offers year-round, all-weather testing across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains, including electronic warfare. A 60-mile by 6-mile drone corridor is set to open at the base, which spans nearly 150,000 acres and controls 17,000 square miles of airspace over Lake Huron. The Army will host a special electromagnetic warfare test event in September 2026, with quarterly repeats planned. Other designated sites include Dugway Proving Ground (Utah), Yuma Proving Ground (Arizona), Camp Shelby (Mississippi), and a site in Morocco.
U.S. Army Designates Camp Grayling in Michigan as One of Four National Drone Test Sites
The U.S. Army has selected Camp Grayling and the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in northern Michigan as one of four national sites open to private industry for drone testing. The designation, announced by Senator Elissa Slotkin, aims to accelerate development of drone and counter-drone technologies to compete with China. The site offers year-round, all-weather testing across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains, with a dedicated 60-mile drone corridor. The Army will host an electromagnetic warfare test event there in September 2026, with quarterly repeats. The selection follows a bipartisan push by Michigan lawmakers, who highlighted the base's scale (150,000 acres of training land and 17,000 square miles of airspace) and flexibility as a National Guard installation. Other selected sites include Dugway Proving Ground (Utah), Yuma Proving Ground (Arizona), Camp Shelby (Mississippi), and a site in Morocco.
U.S. Army Designates Michigan's Camp Grayling as One of Four National Drone Test Sites
The U.S. Army has selected Camp Grayling and the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in northern Michigan as one of four national sites where private drone manufacturers can test their technology alongside the military. The designation, announced by Senator Elissa Slotkin, aims to accelerate development of drone and counter-drone systems to help the U.S. catch up with China. The site offers year-round, all-weather testing across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains, including a dedicated 60-mile-long drone corridor. The Army will host a special electromagnetic warfare test event at Camp Grayling in September 2026, with quarterly repeats planned. Other selected sites include Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, Camp Shelby in Mississippi, and a site in Morocco. The push for the designation involved a bipartisan letter from Michigan lawmakers to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July 2025.