Hayden, ID [August 30, 2017] The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office has appointed Steve Edgar, Co-Founder of Empire Unmanned, LLC located in Hayden, Idaho, as a member of the UASCA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). Mr. Edgar, who will be representing Empire Unmanned in behalf of the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA), will help oversee regulations and policies regarding the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in higher elevations of federally regulated airspace in the U.S./p
Worldwide demand for UAS to use Class A and Upper E airspace continues to grow and has no sign of slowing down in the near future. In order to control the traffic for both manned and unmanned vehicles in higher airspace regions, the ARC is positioning the U.S. to provide greater access to federal partners. The agency also realizes that it is critical for the U.S to lead and influence the development of international standards and global airspace procedures./p
The ARC was created to focus on large unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that operate in controlled airspace. With access to the Class A and Upper E airspaces, UAS can deliver benefits to both federal and civil entities in a more expeditious manner. The ARC Charter specifies that the responsibilities of the agency include the development of recommendations for the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS)./p
“It is truly an honor to represent RACCA on the UASCA ARC. The charter members consist of UAS experts, business leaders and visionary stakeholders in this inevitable and emerging technology. The work ahead will be groundbreaking and must include one level of safety as we work to integrate UAS into our national airspace. I am eager to begin the work, and look forward to meeting the charter’s objectives,” says Steve Edgar.
“In my dual roles as Chairman of the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association and CEO and President of Empire Airlines, I am very excited about our part of the industry having a seat at the table. Steve is eminently qualified to be a contributing member to this ARC,” comments Tim Komberec.
Steve Edgar has over forty years of aviation experience, and has operated and instructed in over seventeen types of aircraft ranging from single-seat military fighter aircraft to wide-body commercial aircraft. He has flown the Boeing 737, Airbus 320/319, B757-767 and B777, as well as the RQ-4 Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft System in support of combat troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. In addition, Mr. Edgar has flown unmanned aircraft humanitarian missions in Japan and North America. A veteran of the 1991 Gulf War, Mr. Edgar flew the F-117A Stealth Fighter on combat missions in Iraq and Kuwait. In all, he has amassed over 11,000 flight hours over the course of his aviation career. He is also an FAA rated Air Traffic Controller in both Tower and Radar operations, and has served in both appointed and elected leadership roles in private, union, government, and military organizations./p
Empire Unmanned was formed in December of 2014. The company is now a leading source of UAS (unmanned aerial systems), UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) drone and drone data processing. Flights conduct aerial surveys, mapping, inspections, evaluations, surveillance during data capture missions. These drone missions are valuable as they save companies and government agencies thousands of dollars as well as time spent, while efficiently managing their projects. Empire Unmanned’s clients include large company names from a variety of industries, federal and state government agencies and higher-learning institutions. Empire Unmanned is a division of Empire Airlines, a successful 40-year-old commercial carrier headquartered in Idaho. /p
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About the Company
Founded in December, 2014, Empire Unmanned is a leading provider of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) drone data capture and drone data processing services. Missions are flown for commercial and government clients to manage their projects using the latest aerial technology for surveys, mapping, inspections, evaluations and surveillance. Developing its own drone data processing platform, Empire Unmanned provides comprehensive UAS (unmanned aerial systems) to meet clients’ specific needs. Drone services accomplish several applications across a myriad of industries, such as agriculture, fuel, utilities, telecommunications, land management, forestry, stockpiling, inventories, risk underwriters, and entertainment.
Empire Unmanned is a division of Empire Airlines, a 40-year-old company, located in Hayden, Idaho. Empire Airlines started out as a passenger carrier, but is now primarily a commercial carrier. One of largest clients for Empire Airlines is FedEx. The company still runs passenger services in Hawaii only. Empire Airlines is led by President and CEO, Tim Komberec, a professional pilot who has flown over 13,000 hours as an airline pilot, check airman and instructor. Komberec also served in the U.S. Army and a career at Boeing in the Seattle, Washington area. He has managed every aspect of the flight industry, including fleets of aircraft ranging from turbo props to large jets. His expertise, insight and innovation continues to drive Empire Airlines and its divisions, Empire Aerospace and Empire Unmanned, to greater heights.
Contact:
Colleen Hennessey
Sales & Marketing Manager
Empire Unmanned
Tel: (208) 627-8041
Email: colleenh@empireunmanned.com
