NEW TOWN – The Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation Drone Team invites the public to a historic event later this month: a medication transportation flight from the Elbowoods Memorial Health Center in New Town, across the Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea to the Twin Buttes Medical Clinic in Werner.

Through its demonstration of an innovative and possibly lifesaving use of drones, the flight may serve as a national model of leadership and engagement by a tribal nation, organizers say.

At the event, people can watch the takeoff and landing as the MHA Drone Team shows how drones can be used to quickly and safely transport critical medical supplies and medication. The proof-of-concept flight is a big step in opening the Three Affiliated Tribes’ future uses of drones and as a model for all tribal nations to improve safety and provide a technologically advanced future across multiple industries and organizations.

The MHA Drone Team includes the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town, Elbowoods Memorial Health Center, University of North Dakota, Valkyrie unmanned aerial system (UAS), DeTect, a Panama City, Florida-based company that specializes in advanced radar and related remote-sensing technologies, Northern Plains UAS Test Site and Airspace Link, a Detroit-based company that develops software for drone flight planning and operations.

Events open to the public include:

– Monday, Sept. 16, 5-7 p.m., Earth Lodge Village, New Town. Complimentary dinner provided. Host is the MHA Drone Project Team. Information will be provided and questions answered regarding how MHA Nation plans to use drones to deliver medications between New Town and Twin Buttes.

The all-community event will include the introduction of dignitaries at 5 p.m.; introduction of the MHA Drone Advisory Board at 5:20 p.m.; introduction of MHA Drone Team at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 5:35 p.m. There will be an opportunity to view equipment being used for flight, participate in an interactive learning session regarding the capacity of ground radar to fly safely and view the existing digital technical platform and written materials about the project.

– Wednesday, Sept. 18, throughout the day at Elbowoods Memorial Health Center and Twin Buttes Pavilion, the public is invited to witness the drone flights.

The anticipated schedule is:

– Initial flight from New Town to Twin Buttes. Take off at Elbowoods at 9:50 a.m. and land at Twin Buttes at 10:30 a.m.

– Initial return flight from Twin Buttes to New Town. Take off at Twin Buttes at 11:10 a.m. and land at Elbowoods at 11:50 a.m.

– Second flight from New Town to Twin Buttes. Take off at 1:05 p.m. and land in Twin Buttes at 1:45 p.m.

– Second return flight from Twin Buttes to New Town. Take off at 2:25 P.M. and return to Elbowoods at 3:05 P.M.

Take-off times could change due to weather or maintenance.

The MHA Drone Project is funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant through its Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants program.