Defense Infrastructure · Hardy County, WV

Where Autonomous
Systems Are Proven.

Laconia provides a world-class, purpose-built environment for the development, testing, and operational validation of autonomous systems and counter-autonomous technologies — spanning air, ground, and contested electromagnetic domains.

750+Acres
COA / BVLOSAirspace Authorization
NRQZRF-Quiet Environment
Multi-DomainAir · Ground · EW
SDVOSBFederal Contract Status

Built for the
Full Mission Cycle

From early-stage R&D through operational demonstration and live training, Laconia supports every phase — providing infrastructure, expertise, and services that defense technology companies and government customers cannot easily replicate elsewhere.

01 — Testing & Validation

Autonomous Systems
Test & Evaluation

Rigorous, repeatable testing environments for UAS, counter-UAS, ground autonomy, and multi-domain systems. Live-fire kinetic testing, EW and signal environment validation, radar integration, and multi-system engagement scenarios — across varied terrain at operational scale.

02 — Training & Integration

Operator Training
& Tactics Development

Structured training environments where military and law enforcement personnel learn to employ and counter autonomous systems in realistic conditions. Shoot houses, vehicular lanes, and combined arms ranges support full-spectrum integration from individual skills through unit-level exercises.

03 — Research & Demonstration

R&D Support
& Customer Demos

A dedicated venue for defense technology companies to advance research programs and demonstrate capabilities to government customers. Laconia provides the physical environment, logistical support, data collection infrastructure, and operational expertise to make every demonstration credible and professional.

Multi-Domain Environment
Air · Ground · Contested EM
Testing Environments

Every Terrain.
Every Condition.

The performance of autonomous systems changes fundamentally with terrain. Laconia provides a single facility where engineers and operators can evaluate across the full environmental spectrum without relocating.

01

Open Field & Long-Range Corridors

Extended flight paths and ground vehicle lanes across open terrain — essential for fixed-wing UAS endurance testing, detection range validation, and long-baseline communications assessment.

02

Mountainous & Valley Terrain

Ridgelines, valleys, and variable elevation challenge navigation algorithms, radar line-of-sight assumptions, and RF propagation models in ways flat ranges cannot replicate. Appalachian terrain provides genuine operational realism.

03

Urban & Structural Terrain

Shoot house complexes and structural environments for close-quarters autonomous navigation, indoor flight, and urban C-UAS scenario development.

04

Live-Fire Kinetic Testing

Designated live-fire ranges support kinetic defeat mechanism testing, hard-kill counter-UAS evaluation, and combined arms integration — a capability unavailable at most commercial test facilities.

05

Vehicular & Ground Mobility Tracks

Dedicated lanes for unmanned ground vehicle testing, vehicle-borne sensor integration, and autonomous convoy operations across varied surface conditions.

Facility Specifications
LocationHardy County, West Virginia
Total Acreage750+ Acres
AirspaceFAA COA / BVLOS Authorization
RF EnvironmentNational Radio Quiet Zone
Live-Fire RangesMulti-Range Complex
Shoot HouseFull-Scale CQB Facility
Ground VehiclesDedicated Mobility Tracks
On-Site LodgingHigh-Quality Accommodations
Pentagon Access~3 Hours Drive Time
SecurityControlled Perimeter
StorageSecure On-Site Equipment Storage
SDVOSB StatusFederal Acquisition Eligible

The Facility
This Field
Has Needed

★ SDVOSB Certified

Laconia was built around a straightforward observation: the autonomous systems and counter-autonomous markets are advancing faster than the test and evaluation infrastructure supporting them. Defense technology companies spend significant resources relocating between inadequate facilities, managing logistics, and working around access restrictions — time and capital that belongs in their development cycles.

Laconia exists to provide a single destination where engineers and operators can test, train, research, develop, and demonstrate — without compromise.

The facility is designed with both the engineering team and the end user in mind. Test engineers need consistent, instrumentable environments and reliable data collection infrastructure. Operators need realistic conditions that stress systems the way field deployments will. Program managers and acquisition officials need a credible, professional venue for demonstrations that hold up to scrutiny.

Laconia supports all three. The terrain portfolio spans open fields, mountain valleys, and structured urban environments — enabling side-by-side performance comparisons across conditions in a single visit. Live-fire ranges, vehicular tracks, and a full CQB shoot house extend capability into kinetic and combined-arms domains that most East Coast facilities cannot offer.

The supporting infrastructure is equally serious. On-site lodging is designed to the standards that senior technical and government visitors expect. Catered meals, secure equipment storage, and a controlled perimeter mean that sensitive programs can operate here without the exposure risks that come with commercial hotels and public ranges. From data collection to departure debrief, Laconia manages the experience end to end.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Laconia carries preferential status across Department of Defense and federal law enforcement acquisition channels — enabling streamlined contract vehicles for government customers from day one.

Full-Spectrum Support

Everything You
Need. On-Site.

Laconia is designed as a complete operational environment. Customers focus on their mission — we handle everything else.

Data Collection

Instrumented ranges with data capture capability. Telemetry, video, and sensor fusion infrastructure to support T&E requirements and program reporting.

Lodging & Meals

High-quality on-site accommodations and catered meals for extended test programs and visiting delegations. No commute. No downtime.

Security & Privacy

Controlled perimeter, access management, and operational security protocols designed to protect sensitive programs, proprietary technology, and government customer requirements.

Secure Storage

On-site secure storage for equipment, airframes, vehicles, and sensitive materials between test events — eliminating the logistics burden of repeated transport.

Defense Technology Partners & Government Customers
Anduril Industries Fortem Technologies AeroVironment Palantir Shield AI DoD / SOF Units Federal LE
Engage Laconia

Request a
Technical Briefing

Whether you're a defense technology company seeking a test bed, a government customer evaluating training infrastructure, or an acquisition team planning a demonstration — we're ready to talk.

Contact Our Team Review Capabilities