08/28/2026
📣 In an exciting announcement earlier this month, the U.S. Army named Camp Grayling, located just 50 miles from Traverse City, as one of five new test sites — and the only in the Midwest — for private companies to test drones or counter-drone technologies.
“Having access to a premier U.S. Army test range immediately makes us an exceptionally attractive destination for defense tech, aerospace, and robotics founders nationwide. I think it will drive a lot of capital and lot of top-tier technical talent into northern Michigan," says 20Fathoms Executive Director Stacey Feeley.
20Fathoms is proud to co-lead the Northsky Consortium, a local alliance with Traverse Connect and Northwestern Michigan College, in working to make Traverse City a national hub for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility. The consortium played a key role in scoring the test range designation for Camp Grayling.
Learn more about the significant economic development potential of this designation in making northern Michigan one of the premier places in the country to develop, test, manufacture, and commercialize new drone tech, as well as attract new companies to the area ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q04vxTZb0
