Ghost Town Rebooted: How a Deserted Mining Town Became a Drone Training Powerhouse

Picture this: a sleek, autonomous drone zips through the dusty streets of a ghost town, scanning for signs of life. Its sensors lock onto a figure sprawled on the ground—a simulated victim in a high-stakes training exercise. The drone operator, hundreds of miles away, relays critical data to an incident commander, orchestrating a virtual rescue mission. This isn’t a scene from a sci-fi flick; it’s the cutting-edge reality at FLI Town, a state-of-the-art drone training ground nestled in the sun-scorched California desert.

Once a bustling mining hub, the abandoned town of Eagle Mountain has been reborn as a futuristic proving ground for drone-as-first-responder (DFR) programs. Spearheaded by Flying Lion Inc., FLI Town is the first town-sized DFR training facility in the U.S., offering law enforcement agencies a hyper-realistic environment to hone their drone skills. With its paved roads, crumbling buildings, and eerie silence, the site is the perfect sandbox for pilots to simulate real-world scenarios—minus the risks.

From Iron Ore to AI: The Evolution of FLI Town

Eagle Mountain’s transformation from a mid-century mining town to a drone tech hub is a story of reinvention. Built in the 1940s to support Kaiser Steel’s iron ore operations, the town once housed over 4,000 residents. But when the mine shuttered in the 1980s, Eagle Mountain became a ghost town—until Flying Lion saw its potential. “We realized there was no place to train law enforcement officers besides their own cities,” says Steven Katz, Flying Lion’s VP. “FLI Town fills that gap.”

Today, the site is a playground for innovation. Equipped with advanced avionics, Starlink connectivity, and FAA-approved beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) waivers, FLI Town enables 24/7 remote training from anywhere in the country. Whether it’s a Dallas cop or a Georgia firefighter, trainees can log in, take control of a drone, and navigate through 20+ pre-programmed scenarios—from locating lost hikers to identifying armed suspects on rooftops.

Tech Meets Terrain: The Future of Drone Training

FLI Town isn’t just about training; it’s a testing ground for next-gen drone tech. The site’s harsh desert environment—think 110-degree summers and minimal rainfall—makes it ideal for stress-testing hardware and software. Flying Lion has partnered with industry heavyweights like DJI, Nokia, and T-Mobile to push the boundaries of what drones can do. “We’re vendor-agnostic,” Katz emphasizes. “Whether it’s Skydio, DJI, or another platform, we’ll support it.”

The company is also leveraging Iris Automation’s detect-and-avoid systems to enhance safety during BVLOS flights. And with Starlink providing robust connectivity in this remote locale, FLI Town is poised to become a hub for commercial drone testing, too. “You don’t even need to be there,” Katz says. “It’s all done remotely.”

As drone technology continues to evolve, FLI Town stands as a testament to the power of innovation—and the unexpected potential of forgotten places. From iron ore to AI, this ghost town has come full circle, proving that even the most desolate landscapes can become launchpads for the future.