Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab The UAV Battlelab is a U . S . Air Force flight test and development facility specifically dedicated to developing unmanned aerial vehicles . One of six original Air Force battlelabs established in 1997 , this battlelab falls directly under the Air Warfare Center and recently moved to Creech Air Force Base , located near Indian Springs , Nevada from Eglin Air Force Base , Florida . Overview . The battlelab ’ s mission is to work UAV problems and then go to industry , academia , and service and national labs system for solutions . " Battlelabs find problems , identify solutions and transition them to the warfighter , " said Col . Larry Felder , who commands the unit and also assisted with developing the Air Force ’ s original battlelab concept . " Once potential solutions are found , we conduct objective demonstrations to see if the technology , concept , tactics or procedures will actually work and transition the solution to our warfighters , " Colonel Felder said . Even though the battlelab core is on the West Coast , small UAV activities will still be staying at Eglin . The battlelab will continue to improve the Air Force ’ s ability to execute the mission and support joint warfighting initiatives , said the colonel . " We ’ re currently going through a buildup process , " Colonel Felder said . " We have moved the majority of the organization across country and are building a new team . The key to our immediate future success will be our operating location at Eglin . ( Besides ) managing our small UAV program , Eglin is the seed corn of knowledge and will be integral to training the new people out here . " Besides subject - matter experts at Eglin , the battlelab relies on liaisons outside the organization for assistance . " With the help of six liaisons from the Air Force Research Laboratory , Electronic Systems Center and reserve components , our battlelab has the ability to reach back into the Air Force lab system , reach forward into the acquisition system to move technologies from one system to another and look at the mission from a total - force perspective , " Colonel Fedner said . Initially aligned under the Air Warfare Center ’ s 53rd Wing , control of the battlelab transferred to the Aerospace Command and Control and Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center at Langley Air Force Base , Virginia , on 1 March 1999 . Control of the battlelab returned to the Air Warfare Center in April 2002 as the UAV mission evolved to include weapons delivery , forward - air control and surface attack . Since its inception , battlelab initiatives have decreased the time it takes for UAV products to reach decision makers . Officials have also been able to improve UAV target precision coordinates from sensors and enhance integration with other airborne intelligence , surveillance and reconnaissance assets . Battlelab officials have also enhanced the UAV ’ s ability to operate in civil airspace , improved friendly force combat identification and illuminated enemy ground targets for attack . " We are looking at numerous items for the future , " Colonel Felder said . " UAVs originally gave us intelligence , surveillance and reconnaissance , but that has changed with additional roles . We are seeing UAVs used more in the shooter role , and aircraft , such as the unmanned combat aerial vehicle , will give us the capability to carry multiple payloads , pull high G - forces , penetrate airspace that hasn ’ t been penetrated before and hit high - risk targets without jeopardizing our pilots ’ lives . "