Osage LLC is celebrating a major milestone in the growth of Skyway Range by welcoming WindShape Inc. as the first tenant at the newly expanded facility. The Swiss-based company opened its first U.S. site with a ribbon-cutting on Sept. 25, bringing advanced indoor drone testing capabilities not available anywhere else in the country. This marks an important expansion of Osage LLC’s footprint in the aerospace and innovation economy and a continuation of Tulsa’s long aviation history.
As an indoor drone test center, WindShape’s eight labs enable companies to simulate real-world conditions, including wind, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures, all within controlled laboratory settings. These capabilities help accelerate safety validation, product development, and certification for drone companies worldwide.
“Welcoming WindShape as our first tenant brings our vision for Skyway Range to life,” said Russell Goff, CEO of Osage LLC. “With our regional partners, we want to attract world-class innovators to the Osage Nation, positioning Tulsa and Osage LLC at the center of the aerospace economy. WindShape’s investment proves that Skyway Range is becoming a global destination for advanced testing and development, and that’s an incredible opportunity for the Osage Nation economy and the Osage people. We also owe a great deal of thanks to the Osage Nation, who oversaw the renovation of the hangar space with grant funding support from INCOG and the EDA.”
WindShape’s tenancy marks a pivotal step in Osage LLC’s long-term master plan to transform Skyway Range into a premier national hub for aerospace innovation and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). WindShape’s 20,000-square-foot indoor drone simulation labs with Skyway Range’s 3,000-foot runway, outdoor testing zones, and 1,200-square-mile Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight corridor. Together, these assets create a one-of-a-kind testing ecosystem for both vertical and fixed-wing vehicles, helping to transform economic opportunities in the Osage Nation.
“Opening this facility in Tulsa reflects a strategic choice,” said WindShape CEO Guillaume Catry. “Oklahoma is building one of the nation’s most advanced environments for autonomous flight. “By combining wind and weather simulation with the region’s strong UAS ecosystem, we are proud to help companies test drones safely, speed certification, and create high-skill jobs for the future of aerospace.”
The WindShape opening is part of a larger effort led by the Tulsa Regional Advanced Mobility (TRAM) Cluster. Osage LLC, Tulsa Innovation Labs, Oklahoma State University, and other regional partners are leveraging more than $40 million from the U.S. Economic Development Association’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) grant and additional EDA Tech Hubs funding to expand Tulsa’s advanced mobility sector. The investment in this infrastructure will position Skyway Range as a cornerstone of America’s domestic drone testing and production capacity.
“Bringing WindShape to Skyway Range underscores our commitment to building an environment where innovators thrive,” said Jennifer Hankins, Managing Director of Tulsa Innovation Labs. “By setting a clear vision and executing it, we’ve created a nationally unique hub that will shape the future of drone technology.”
By anchoring international investment at Skyway Range, Osage LLC is creating new economic pathways for Osage Nation members, while honoring the Osage Nation’s legacy as pioneers in aviation. With the addition of WindShape, Skyway Range now serves as a national hub for innovation, workforce development, and the future of flight.
Osage LLC is a wholly owned company of the Osage Nation, a federally recognized Native American tribal government headquartered in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. As the Osage Nation’s business enterprise, Osage LLC manages a diverse portfolio spanning agriculture, real estate, technology, and aerospace. Osage LLC is proud of its heritage, poised for the future, and driven to deliver prosperity for our people and partners. Our mission is to enhance the economic well-being of the Osage Nation, create sustainable growth, and provide increased employment opportunities for Osage citizens today and for generations to come. Learn more at www.OsageLLC.com.
Skyway Range includes the Osage Nation’s premier aerospace industrial park and drone port located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Operated by Osage LLC, the facility provides advanced testing, training, and certification capabilities for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and emerging advanced air mobility technologies. With dedicated range operations, safety oversight, and industry partnerships, Skyway Range serves as a hub for innovation, business attraction, and workforce development in the rapidly growing aviation economy.
WindShape is a Swiss-based technology company pioneering advanced drone testing solutions with its unique wind and weather simulation systems. By recreating real-world conditions in controlled environments, WindShape enables safe, precise, and repeatable testing for industries from aerospace to defense. Learn more at www.windshape.com.