First farming drone flight scheduled today

HAYDEN - Empire Unmanned will showcase the first commercially legal agriculture flights of an Unmanned Air System, or drone, in the Treasure Valley today.

Empire Unmanned is an Idaho company venture between Empire Airlines of Hayden; ADAVSO of Star, Idaho; and Blair Farms of Kendrick, Idaho.

ADAVSO was the first entity in the U.S. to be granted a Section 333 exemption to fly drones commercially for agriculture by the FAA.

Empire Unmanned will host a press conference at the 6 p.m. inaugural flight at Bitner Vineyards, located at 16645 Plum Road in Caldwell.

The partners in Empire Unmanned have been original members of the Idaho UAS Working Group - a statewide network of businesses, universities, and state and federal government organizations - which is the driving force behind advancing UAS interests throughout Idaho and the region.