SKYWAY 36 + PATHFINDERS PROGRAM | The second cohort of the Osage Nation Pathfinder's Development Program (OPD) is currently engaged in drone training at the Skyway36 Droneport. Ivan Long (Osage), a member of the inaugural OPD cohort, is now instructing the second cohort of eight Osage tribal members with varying workforce experiences in their drone training, underscoring the program's mission to equip Osages for the high demand in STEM-related careers. The second cohort includes Osage Nation Police Department (ONPD) Sergeant Luey, who took advantage of the program's age expansion to develop further his public safety skills, including an aerial perspective, thereby enhancing ONPD's ability to respond to incidents more effectively. The Osage Nation has forged strategic partnerships with aerospace industry leaders, including Riverside Flight Center and WindShape, ensuring the highest quality of training. The Osage Nation Education Department's Career Training Scholarship fully funds this groundbreaking program - a testament to our commitment to innovation and progress in STEM education and public safety.
Skyway36 Droneport and Technology Innovation Center is the ideal location for flight testing all modes of UAS and AAM technologies. Strategically situated within the Osage Nation, Skyway36 is less than five miles from downtown Tulsa and ten miles from Tulsa International Airport, with the northernmost point of the range located on the Osage Nation Ranch near Pawhuska, offering a unique blend of urban cityscape and rural environments. It is the primary access point to Skyway Range, the Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight UAS flight test range of 1,200 square miles built in partnership with Osage LLC, Oklahoma State University, and Tulsa Innovation Labs.