element of a deepening aviation partnership that goes well beyond single-project funding. In January 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration designated the Choctaw Nation Emerging Aviation Technology Center as one of only nine approved UAS test sites nationwide, marking the first new designation in nearly a decade. Located at Daisy Ranch approximately 30 minutes from McAlester, the facility on 44,600 acres of tribally owned land supports advanced drone research including Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. McAlester Regional is the closest airport with restaurants, hotels, and jet-capable runways for personnel working at the remote test site.The tribe’s Department of Advanced Technology Initiatives has articulated a five-year plan positioning the airport as critical infrastructure for an emerging aviation technology corridor. Chief Gary Batton presented McAlester’s first official tribal land acknowledgment at city council in December 2025, formalizing a partnership built on mutual economic interests rather than ceremonial gestures. 101 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 02 MCALESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT
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