A historic flight will takeoff from near Salina next week.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is kicking off the state’s first Unmanned Aircraft Systems flight in Kansas to go beyond the visual line of sight flight at a news event on Tuesday.

This is Kansas’ inaugural operation as part of the UAS Integration Pilot Program that will be underway for the next two years. KDOT was one of only 10 participants in the nation to be a part of this program that will shape the future of drones in America.

Over the next two years, the Kansas IPP team, including more than 30 industry partners, will support phased testing and integration of UAS operations over farms, roads, transmission lines and other infrastructure to collect data and gather community feedback. Kansas State University Polytechnic, an IPP team member, will fly the inaugural operation to test aircraft capability and reliability for continued beyond the visual line of sight operations.

The media and the public are invited to attend.

Complete Details:

• WHAT: First flight of two-year UAS program
• WHEN: 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 14
• WHERE: 6229 S. Kipp Road, Gypsum – about 15 minutes southeast of Salina
• WHO: FAA, Kansas Congressional delegation and KDOT leaders will speak.