By Mississippi State University STARKVILLE – Mississippi State University will lead a major research and development project for the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS Science and Technology Directorate selected Mississippi as the new base of operations for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), commonly known as drones, and a Mississippi State-led partnership will oversee the initiative. The proposal was developed by the Mississippi Partnership, led by MSU. The new DHS S&T Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Demonstration Range Facility will support homeland security operations and training by providing UAS flight and exercise support facilities that will support operational evaluation of UAS in a variety of applications and scenarios. The new DHS S&T demonstration range facility will use about 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace at altitudes up to 60,000 feet, primarily in southern and coastal Mississippi.