The Chesapeake UAS Route Network (CURN), a project of the University of Maryland’s UAS Research and Operations Center, is aimed at opening up Maryland’s skies to long-range Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. Using overflight of the Chesapeake Bay as its guiding principle, it looks to set the stage for a network connecting communities and enabling routine drone operations for commercial and public use cases in the state. Such a network could support missions from medical delivery and emergency response to large-scale cargo transport. The project will position Maryland as a leader in the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System with an eye toward economic opportunities, enhanced public health and safety, and other benefits.