Colorado State University is giving Christman Airfield in northwest Fort Collins a serious glow‑up, turning the nearly 400‑acre property into a larger hub for drone research, hands‑on student training, and industry partnerships. A newly paved runway and upgraded lighting are already in place, with expanded testing lanes and specialized facilities for sensors and subsurface imaging on the way. University officials say the work is meant to honor the airfield’s long aviation history while preparing it for missions ranging from wildfire response to federal research projects.
CSU positions Christman Field as a UAS hub
Christopher Robertson, director of the CSU Drone Center, calls Christman “a nice, safe, secure space” to develop the next generation of aerial vehicles. As reported by CBS News, CSU is investing in the site and has already completed a new asphalt runway, with further expansion planned to support students, researchers, government agencies, and private companies.
Runway work celebrated at a neighborhood fly‑in
The university marked the upgrades with a grand‑reopening fly‑in last Saturday, turning Christman into a temporary neighborhood airshow with small planes, drones, and public demonstrations. According to the CSU Drone Center’s event listing, the gathering formally celebrated the runway work, highlighted the airfield’s location, and rolled out community programming tied to the relaunch.
Subsurface imaging test site grows
On the same grounds, CSU is expanding its Subsurface Imaging Technology Test Site, where researchers validate geophysical and remote‑sensing tools in real‑world conditions instead of just lab benches. The program write-up notes the site includes “actual inert munitions installed as part of a Phase Two expansion,” so teams can test and validate detection systems. Planners also flag that a dedicated strip of inert landmine targets is scheduled to be added this year.
Runway basics and FAA records
Federal aviation records list Christman Field as CO55, a privately owned university airfield with a 4,000‑foot asphalt runway. The filings show Colorado State University as the owner and Christopher Robertson as the airport manager. Aviation databases also indicate the field was under construction earlier this spring for the runway repave and lighting work that led up to the reopening.
Students, training and industry pipeline
Robertson told CBS News that Drone Center courses often run with wait lists and that the program typically employs between five and 15 students directly in flight operations. CSU’s outreach and news materials describe flight‑school offerings, youth summer camps, and FAA Part 107 test preparation, all feeding a local workforce pipeline while commercial and government partners conduct experimental flights at Christman Field.
Why Fort Collins gains from the upgrade
The upgrades are not just a win for campus researchers. The improved runway and lighting make Christman more useful for wildfire staging and other regional emergency missions that depend on small aircraft and helicopters. State-controlled maintenance and capital planning documents have flagged the runway depth, lack of lighting, and lack of power as long‑standing constraints, arguing that improvements are needed to safely support heavier aircraft during emergency operations, as per the Office of the State Architect.
What to watch
Looking ahead, CSU is expected to keep layering in new test lanes, training dates and partner projects as it chases additional funding and contracts that could expand Christman Field’s role in wildfire response and drone commercialization. Companies have already teamed up with the Drone Center to run beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight flights under FAA waivers, creating a precedent that could make it easier to bring more commercial research to the upgraded Fort Collins airstrip, according to BusinessWire.
