"Montana has had a legacy of letting its resources go downstream," Zinke said. "We've had difficulty value-adding. We are a resource provider," citing examples of trees, aluminum, coal and wheat. "Rather than to try to save some dying industries, we can be at the forefront of a new one.

"We're attempting to use our air space, the Big Sky, to bring an emerging industry into Montana. This is an enormous industry that is on the verge of occurring."

Rocky Mountain College has an accredited aviation program, Zinke said. It will help with training. "Montana's air space is the perfect environment to research how to safely integrate (drones) with commercial and private air traffic," he said in the press release.

MSU-Northern in Havre has a "world-class biofuels program," and will be involved in engine and propulsion testing. Most drones are electric, but some of the larger ones run on gasoline. MSU-Northern can help with a transition to heavier fuels such as jet and diesel fuel.

The University of Montana, Montana State University-Bozeman and Mississippi State University will be involved in research. Mississippi State has expertise in maritime programs and Gulf Coast research.