OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Tulsa Innovation Labs hosted Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International President and CEO Michael Robbins for a briefing on the next phase of autonomous systems—linking regional assets to national priorities in defense, manufacturing, and commercial deployment.
Backed by more than $90 million in federal awards and nearly $250 million in total public–private investment, TIL outlined how Tulsa’s ecosystem is translating R&D into jobs, wage growth, and production capacity.
TIL highlighted key initiatives: the Osage Nation’s Skyway Range and WindShape’s indoor drone testing facility; a cybersecurity certification expansion for commercial drones through Green UAS in partnership with Oklahoma State University and The University of Tulsa; and an advanced manufacturing training program reporting 160% wage gains for skilled workers. The strategy centers on workforce pipelines, real-world test environments, and resilient supply chains.
“Tulsa has a real opportunity to position itself to help America win the age of autonomy and build the uncrewed arsenal for democracy by bridging the gap between prototyping and small-scale production, which is where we are now, and the ability to manufacture at scale with secure supply chains, repeatable quality, and a workforce pipeline that can grow with demand,” said Robbins. “For the first time in this industry, the demand is real and it’s converging which means there’s great opportunity here in Tulsa.”
State leaders echoed the momentum. “The future of autonomy, is happening in a few other places, but it’s not just on the coasts anymore. It’s happening in the middle of America, right here in Oklahoma. This is the modern frontier, and Tulsa Innovation Labs is going to prove it,” said Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell.
