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North Dakota | 2023 State Drone Scorecard
North Dakota ranks third in its readiness for commercial drone services
Rank: 3
North Dakota ranked in third place in the 2023 State Drone Commerce Scorecard rankings. The state scored 70 out of 100 possible points in how prepared it is for commercial drone services.
The Six Factors Contributing to the Overall Score
A Score in Gray Indicates a Score Below the Median of All States
0 / 30
Airspace Lease Law
North Dakota law does not allow public authorities to lease low-altitude airspace above state and local roads. An airspace lease law would allow state or local officials to create drone highways above these roadways.
25 / 25
Avigation Easement Law
North Dakota law creates an avigation easement, which means drone operators are protected from nuisance and trespass laws as long as their drones do not disturb people on the ground.
20 / 20
Task Force or Program Office
The state has a drone program office—the Northern Plains Unmanned Systems Authority—overseen by state agencies and chaired by the lieutenant governor. The program office develops policies that advance unmanned aerial systems operations.
10 / 10
Sandbox
North Dakota’s Vantis program offers airspace access to drone companies, is affiliated with the state transportation department, and has a prominent, open invitation to drone companies to test their services.
10 / 10
Law Vesting Landowners with Air Rights
North Dakota law expressly provides air rights to landowners, which reduces litigation risk for drone operators.
5 / 5
Jobs Estimate
North Dakota is in the top quintile when it comes to the number of drone-related jobs per 100,000 people.
How North Dakota Scored Relative to Its Peers
Commercial drone-readiness scores vary across the nation. To give state leaders and residents insight into how their state compares, we have provided the scores of four state peers. In this case, these peers are selected because of their geographic and political similarities.
North Dakota scored 70 of out 100 possible points. The top ranked state in 2023 was Arkansas, which scored 90 points.