A Purdue University-owned Windracers ULTRA autonomous aircraft completed the first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight in the newly established Indiana Drone Corridor.
The aircraft flew more than 50 miles within the 200-plus-mile corridor during an opening event at Terre Haute Regional Airport (KHUF). During the flight, observers, including state officials and FAA representatives, saw an autonomous parachute resupply demonstration by the aircraft, which features a 33-foot wingspan and a specialized three-bay cargo drop system.
In January 2026, the FAA designated the corridor as an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test site, managed by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and the Applied Research Institute (ARI).
“By providing a dedicated space where industry and academia can conduct large-scale R&D in a real-world environment, Indiana is accelerating the future of Advanced Air Mobility,” said Damon Lercel, associate professor in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. “The technologies developed and built here will directly improve the lives of Hoosiers — whether by reducing road congestion, enhancing emergency response capabilities, or optimizing critical medical delivery services.”
Purdue is testing the aircraft through its AIDA program to evaluate autonomous delivery of emergency supplies to communities cut off by seasonal flooding. The flight marked the platform’s second BVLOS operation in the United States, following a 670-mile cargo evaluation in Alaska in August 2026.
For more information: Windracers.com, Purdue.edu
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