Hector International Airport Completes First U.S. Commercial Airport Summer of Concurrent MQ-9 UAS Operations
Why It MattersThe Fargo integration signals growing precedent for routine UAS-commercial airspace coexistence at joint-use airports, a template other U.S. regional airports may look to replicate.
Three operators of MQ-9 unmanned aircraft flew from Fargo's Hector International Airport this summer alongside scheduled commercial flights and general aviation traffic, in what airport officials believe is the first such combination at a U.S. commercial airport. General Atomics and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations concluded their activity at Fargo Jet Center on September 18, 2026, closing a multi-party collaboration described by airport officials as a milestone for integrating unmanned aircraft systems into commercial airspace.
The 119th Wing, based at the Fargo airport since 1947, has flown UAS and coordinated with the airport's air traffic control tower for more than a decade, experience that enabled General Atomics and CBP Air and Marine Operations to conduct operations without disrupting scheduled airline service. General Atomics used the period for training and testing flights, while CBP Air and Marine Operations flew law enforcement missions.
Shawn Dobberstein, executive director of Hector International Airport, thanked the 119th Wing, General Atomics, and CBP Air and Marine Operations for the collaboration and said the airport remains ready to support similar operations again. Colonel Christopher Domitrovich, 119th Wing commander, said the partnership showed what is possible when military, federal, and civilian agencies collaborate, positioning North Dakota as a national catalyst for UAS advancement.
