BBI International awards Thomas Swoyer Jr. at the general session of the 20th Annual UAS Summit & Expo.
Grand Forks, ND – (October 14, 2026) – Tom Swoyer, founder and president of GrandSKY, received the UAS Sky Pioneer Award on Oct. 14 during the general session of the 20th annual UAS Summit & Expo, produced by UAS Magazine and BBI International.
The Sky Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry. Recipients demonstrate a pioneering spirit and have significantly advanced the field through leadership, innovation and technological breakthroughs.
In celebration of the 20th annual UAS Summit & Expo, the award has been renamed the Senator John Hoeven UAS Sky Pioneer Award, honoring its inaugural recipient and his longstanding contributions to the unmanned aircraft systems industry. For more than two decades, Hoeven has played a central role in advancing North Dakota’s UAS ecosystem, championing the establishment of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, supporting the development of GrandSKY and expanding opportunities for UAS research, testing and integration. His continued efforts to secure federal support, advance beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations and strengthen military and commercial UAS capabilities have helped position North Dakota as a national leader in unmanned aviation. The renamed award recognizes his lasting impact on the industry while continuing to celebrate those carrying that pioneering spirit forward.
Swoyer is recognized for his visionary leadership in establishing GrandSKY, the nation’s first UAS-focused business and aviation park, and his contributions to advancing unmanned aviation in North Dakota and across the country. For longer than a decade, he has played a pivotal role in transforming Grand Forks into a hub for UAS research, development, testing and defense innovation, bringing together government, military, academic and industry partners to advance the field.
Tom Swoyer is a true pioneer in the UAS industry. What makes Tom deserving of this award is his ability to take an ambitious vision and turn it into something that has fundamentally changed the trajectory of unmanned aviation in North Dakota and across the country,” said John Nelson, chief operating officer of BBI International and UAS Magazine. “Through his leadership, GrandSKY has become a nationally recognized center for UAS research, testing, commercialization and defense innovation. Tom didn’t just develop a business park — he helped build an ecosystem that attracts world-class companies, creates new opportunities and positions Grand Forks at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry. His contributions will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”
As founder and president of GrandSKY, Swoyer has led the development of a 217-acre UAS business and aviation park located at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Since 2015, he has worked alongside Grand Forks County, the U.S. Air Force, the state of North Dakota, congressional leaders and industry partners to turn an ambitious vision into an operational environment supporting advanced unmanned aircraft systems.
Swoyer developed the site’s master plan and helped establish the infrastructure, airspace access and partnerships necessary to support large-scale UAS operations. Today, GrandSKY provides its partners access to the 12,351-foot runway at Grand Forks Air Force Base and more than 11,000 square miles of beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight capability.
Under his leadership, GrandSKY has attracted major aerospace and defense organizations, including Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, creating opportunities for advanced research, testing, training and flight operations. GrandSKY has also supported significant milestones in unmanned aviation. In 2018, the site served as the departure point for the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft. It has also served as an early proving ground for commercial BVLOS operations, demonstrating how infrastructure, regulatory coordination and public-private partnerships can enable advanced UAS operations.
Beyond developing physical infrastructure, Swoyer has played an instrumental role in building North Dakota’s broader UAS ecosystem. His ability to connect government, industry, academia and the military has helped establish Grand Forks as a destination for unmanned aviation innovation while attracting aerospace and defense investment to the region.
About UAS Magazine
For commercial manufacturers and operators, UAS Magazine is the only online publication, exclusively highlighting the most critical developments and cutting-edge technologies for unmanned aerial systems in the civil, agriculture, defense and commercial markets worldwide. UAS Magazine’s readership includes executives, directors, managers and operators from companies and organizations focused on expanding their knowledge of unmanned aerial systems. UAS Magazine is an industry hub connecting decision-makers, who are looking for new technologies, with the most innovative companies.
