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ABOUT THE RANGE
Pendleton UAS Range (PUR), owned and operated by the City of Pendleton, covers 14,000 sq. mi. of FAA-approved airspace in northeast Oregon with operations approved to 15,000 ft. MSL in over 50 diverse climates and terrains. Purpose-built infrastructure and facilities include state-of-the-art hangars, three mobile command centers, machine shop, 3D printing labs, and 160-acre UAS industrial park with shovel-ready ground.
Our Mission is to provide fast, flexible, and turnkey solutions for UAS testing and development that drive industry innovation, support local economic growth, and attract investment to the state of Oregon.
Our Vision is to become a globally recognized and self-sustaining UAS ecosystem anchored by a thriving cluster of customer-built infrastructure, skilled workforce, and supply chain innovation.
OUR STORY
What began in 2014 as an ambitious effort to revitalize a WWII-era airport has evolved into a nationally recognized hub for UAS innovation that fuels local economic growth and attracts some of the industry's biggest names to Oregon. This progress is a result of the unwavering support from the City of Pendleton, strategic investment by the state of Oregon, and continued collaboration with a growing network of forward-thinking partners committed to shaping the future of unmanned aviation.
MILESTONES
2014
Milestone
The City of Pendleton achieves initial operating capability for the Pendleton UAS Range, to be headquartered at the Pendleton Airport.
2015
Milestone
The historic B-17 Hangar is designated as the Pendleton UAS Range Headquarters, tying the history of the Triple Nickles and Doolittle's Raiders to the Range.
2016 - 2017
Milestone
Companies start to ramp up their testing at the Pendleton UAS Range. Most notably, Project Vahana by Airbus began operating out of the newly constructed Flex I hangar. They completed 138 successful test flights by the end of 2019.
2018
Milestone
Pendleton positions itself at the forefront of UAS development by beginning the construction of cutting-edge test pads and expanding the array of testing and development amenities.
2019
Milestone
The Pendleton UAS Range attracts over 50 new aerospace jobs in Pendleton, solidifying the impact the UAS Range has on the local workforce.
2021
Milestone
An 18,000 sq. ft. hangar known as Flex II was built at Pendleton Airport to increase capacity and provide purpose-built facilities to UAS customers.
2023
Milestone
The Pendleton UAS Range places 3rd in Operational Xcellence at the 2023 AUVSI XPONENTIAL, an internationally recognized event.
2024
Milestone
The Pendleton UAS Range surpasses 60,000 UAS operations since its inception. This milestone proves that Pendleton is at the forefront of unmanned aerial systems testing and innovation.
2025
Milestone
Construction breaks ground on Flex III, an 18,000 sq. ft. hangar located in the 160-acre UAS industrial park at the Pendleton Airport.
FAA TEST SITE NETWORK ROLE
The Pendleton UAS Range (PUR) is one of Oregon’s official test ranges within the FAA-designated Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC), based at the Pendleton Airport. Managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the PPUTRC is one of only seven FAA test sites in the U.S., and Pendleton plays a key role in supporting commercial, defense, and research partners in developing and integrating UAS into the national airspace.