DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18022333
title: MHA Drone Project:  Planning and Protocol Development

description: The MHA Drone Project: Planning and Protocol Development Project Team developed a comprehensive plan for the use of drones to serve the Tribal members of the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT) of the Fort Berthold Reservation (otherwise known as the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara (MHA) Nation) to increase access to medical care and equipment, and potentially other use cases with opportunities for additional funding. 

The Fort Berthold Reservation, a federally recognized Indian Tribe, is in north-central North Dakota (ND), within a rural, rugged landscape with heavy oil production, rough roads, and unforgiving weather. They contracted with the University of North Dakota to determine the capacity of drones to deliver medications between two remote communities. Accomplishments of the project included: (1) identifying additional use cases, which included completion of two surveys of stakeholder needs and perceptions and a summary report with the findings of six listening sessions that were shared broadly with key Tribal stakeholders; (2) developing a blueprint for a safe, efficient, and scalable network for use of drones on these Tribal lands, which was accomplished by conducting a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) demonstration of delivery of medication that provided the opportunity to gather gata to monitor the airspace system; (3) development and implementation of a robust workforce engagement plan, by finalizing an aeronautics articulation agreement between two educational grant partners with the primarily online program to begin in August 2026, offering three Drone Camps in 2023/2024/ 2025, and teaching over 200 youth at remote MHA Nation schools through a Drones in the Schools effort; (4) ensuring comprehensive community engagement and partnerships to support government to government relationships, by assembling and hosting monthly MHA Drone Advisory Board to guide efforts and testifying before the MHA Tribal Business Council to secure required resolutions including a corridor for drone delivery between two remote communities; and (5) exploring the economic feasibility of drone use at-scale by completing a comprehensive economic analysis of costs and benefits.

 
description: The key deliverables and outcomes on the MHA Drone:  Planning and Protocol Development project were as follows: (1) increased knowledge and awareness of infrastructure needs including developing a prototype for a scalable BVLOS capability on our Tribal lands, (2) commitment by enrolled Tribal citizens to secure the training and education to address the workforce needs for the future use of drones, (3) commitment from Tribal leaders and Tribal Elders to continue this work as witnessed by a Tribal Resoultion, and (4) an economic analysis that substantiated opportunities to assist in addressing transportational needs in an economically feasible manner.

MHA Nation partnered with the University of North Dakota (UND) and subsequent academic and research units to ensure success. They include the Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS), the Institute of Policy and Business Analytics, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (JDOSAS), the Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish (NHS) College in New Town, ND, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (Test Site), Thales, and Airspace Link (ASL).

The main recommendation is for the MHA Nation to continue collaborative efforts with UND to secure additional funding for infrastructure development, building on the knowledge gained in the planning process. Future funding requests should align with lessons learned to date. Expertise exists to build formal infrastructure technology and workforce development. The success and the establishment of valuable Tribal partnerships ensure future success and continued success ensuring that MHA Nation is a national leader in the use of drones for delivery in remote and rural areas and their expertise can be replicated among other Tribal Nations and rural and remote communities.