Swiss Drone Innovation Takes Flight in the U.S.: WindShape Opens Landmark Testing Facility in Tulsa
The Swiss drone industry continues to make its mark on the global stage. Recently, Geneva-based WindShape officially opened its first U.S. facility at Skyway Range, a dedicated drone testing center located just minutes from downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, on the Osage Nation Reservation.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony welcomed public officials, innovators, and industry leaders to tour the 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art drone simulation lab, which features a unique suite of testing capabilities unlike anywhere else in the nation.
WindShape, a proud member of the Swiss drone ecosystem, has spent many years developing advanced wind and weather simulation technology in Geneva. Its Tulsa facility is now equipped with eight specialized labs and the world’s largest WindShaper — a 4m x 3m multi-fan generator capable of simulating a vast range of flight conditions, including rain, snow, icing, and turbulence, for drones up to three metres in wingspan.
“Opening this facility in Tulsa reflects a strategic choice. Oklahoma is building one of the nation’s most advanced environments for autonomous flight,” said Guillaume Catry, CEO of WindShape. “By combining wind and weather simulation with the region’s strong UAS ecosystem, we are proud to help companies test drones safely, speed certification, and create high-skill jobs for the future of aerospace.”
This milestone not only underscores Tulsa’s emergence as a global hub for drone innovation but also highlights the international strength of Switzerland’s drone industry. Swiss innovation is helping shape the global future of unmanned aviation, bridging the gap between drone manufacturers, regulators, and end-users with high-quality, real-world test data.
WindShape’s mission remains clear: to enable the safe expansion of the commercial drone industry by providing test conditions that mirror the most challenging environments — wind, rain, snow, freezing temperatures — all within a controlled indoor facility.
“Bringing WindShape to Skyway Range underscores our commitment to building an environment where innovators thrive,” said Jennifer Hankins, Managing Director of Tulsa Innovation Labs. “By setting a clear vision and executing it, we’ve created a nationally unique hub that will shape the future of drone technology.”
For Switzerland, this is yet another example of how its homegrown drone companies are succeeding internationally. From Geneva to Tulsa, Swiss technology is powering the next wave of autonomous flight, strengthening global safety standards, and opening new opportunities for collaboration between governments, regulators, and industry.
At DIAS, we warmly congratulate WindShape on this achievement. It is a powerful demonstration of the capabilities, ambition, and global impact of the Swiss drone industry.
