A massive project aimed at making North Dakota “the epicenter of commercial unmanned aircraft activity” got a vote of confidence from the Minot Area Chamber EDC Infrastructure Committee this month.
Vantis is developing a statewide network that will allow unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, to fly beyond visual line-of-sight. Representatives of the company presented their plans to the Infrastructure Committee members on Friday, January 13.
A video shared by the group put it this way: “The North Dakota Vantis Network is the first of its kind, and will make it possible for operators to fly drones safely over safe distances, past a direct line of sight, and see all aviation vehicles—manned and unmanned—in one picture.”
The effort to establish the UAS network in North Dakota has the support of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who included $30 million in his 2023-2025 Executive Budget for Vantis to establish radar systems, antennae, and communications systems essential to the project.
The uses for such technology, according to Vantis, are far reaching.
“We will soon see a farmer sending up a drone before he goes to bed and waking up to a detailed map of his whole property,” the video explained. “A rancher checking on livestock and fencing over long distances; rail and road inspections that are much faster and more thorough; … and utility and energy companies inspecting power lines and pipelines with drones rather than with low-flying aircraft, which can be dangerous.”
After fielding questions from the Infrastructure Committee, Vantis received a nod of support from the group, which passed a resolution of support of Vantis and its effort to grow in North Dakota and beyond.
You can see the video Vantis shared with the group here.
And if you would like to be “in the know” on matters related to infrastructure in Minot and around the region, become a member of Minot Area Chamber EDC! Our member-investors are given the opportunity to serve on committees like the Infrastructure Committee, where high-level information on the future of our region are shared on a regular basis.
