Windshape, a Geneva-based company founded in 2016, has opened the first U.S. indoor drone testing facility at Skyway36 Droneport on Osage Nation land near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 20,000-square-foot site, converted from a former aircraft hangar, launched in September 2025 as the inaugural tenant of Skyway36, operated by Osage LLC in partnership with Tulsa Innovation Labs and Oklahoma State University.
The facility features eight labs simulating conditions like wind, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures for civilian drones up to three meters in wingspan, with plans to expand to five meters and military applications. Windshape’s “Drone Wall” technology, a sensor-covered wall generating artificial airflow, enables precise performance testing. Facility Director Steve Cole noted its unique integration of subsystem testing for batteries, propellers, and motors.
Skyway36 provides direct access to a 3,000-foot runway and the 1,200-square-mile Skyway Range for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights. This setup supports FAA and EASA certification needs amid rising drone demand. The Tulsa Regional Advanced Mobility (TRAM) Cluster, backed by over $40 million in federal funds, drives the initiative.
“Oklahoma is building one of the nation’s most advanced environments for autonomous flight,” stated Windshape CEO Guillaume Catry. The project positions Oklahoma as a key player in UAS development, complementing sites like Burns Flat and Choctaw Nation ranges.