The US Army is opening up its training centers for private firms to test out new drones

Date:
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:25:00 +0000

Description:
The US Army is opening military ranges to private drone companies, allowing them to test systems under realistic battlefield conditions.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Private drone companies can now request access to US Army testing ranges Companies no longer need existing government partnerships before requesting range access Five military facilities across America and Morocco are joining the programme Private drone companies without existing government contracts can now request access to the US Army test ranges nationwide.

The arrangement removes a requirement for companies to have existing government partnerships before requesting access to military ranges. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll framed the change as an effort to cut through bureaucratic obstacles facing smaller defense contractors. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: What companies can access and where Five ranges now fall under this new access system, spanning four US states and one overseas location.

Dugway Proving Ground in Utah specializes in long-range fires testing for companies developing precision strike capabilities, whilst West Cibola Range in Arizona currently focuses exclusively on drone and counter-drone system evaluations. You may like The Pentagon has unveiled an improved online store to buy counter-drone kits, but you probably won't ever be able to see it US Army thinks it can win over communities over its data centers without a big tech backlash Drone firm lands $820m Pentagon funding to build UAS
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Camp Shelby in Mississippi and Camp Grayling in Michigan round out the domestic testing locations available.

The fifth site, the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center, sits in Morocco. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners
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Beginning in September 2026, Camp Grayling will host a recurring test simulating degraded electromagnetic conditions found in Ukraine.

This quarterly event will let companies trial drone and counter-drone systems against jamming and disrupted signals.

To get access to any of these sites, companies will have to apply through testrange.army.mil, though the Army cannot guarantee a specific site or timeline. What to read next US confirms it will leverage Ukraine's expertise in military drones before competing to 'be the world champions' US buys 2000 F-Drones F10 attack UAVs from Ukraine as the Pentagon moves to its next phase US Army is hunting for surface-to-air missiles able to take down small drones

"A company with a good idea shouldn't need a team of lawyers and a program of record just to prove their equipment works," said Dan Driscoll, Army Secretary.

"So we fixed that. One front door testrange.army.mil a real person to walk you in, and on the other side, everything the modern battlefield demands: contested airspace, degraded signals and the space to test at real scale."
The pressure driving this shift The expanded access reflects urgency inside the Pentagon around accelerating drone and counter-drone development timelines.

The Defense Department recently formed Joint Interagency Task Force 401, a unit built to streamline counter-drone procurement.

That task force has already stood up an online marketplace connecting
military buyers directly with technology suppliers.

Behind this push sits a separate concern, with reports suggesting depleted Patriot missile interceptor stockpiles nationwide.

The United States reportedly used roughly two-thirds of its Patriot interceptor inventory during its recent conflict with Iran, as Washington appears to have underestimated how quickly a prolonged confrontation with
Iran could consume its most valuable air-defense interceptors.

However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disputed a CNN report claiming military commanders had flagged critically low interceptor stockpiles.

Regardless of that disagreement, the Pentagon continues pressing defense contractors toward faster production of essential weapons systems, and the range initiative sits within a broader goal of hastening development for drones, counter-drone tools, and interceptors.

Leading this effort is the US Army Test and Evaluation Command, working alongside several partner organizations nationwide.

Those partners include the Mississippi and Michigan National Guard units, along with U.S. Africa Command's regional support.

For companies previously locked out by lengthy contracting requirements, this shift represents a meaningfully lower barrier to entry.

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