Senator Conrad tours Ideal Aerosmith production facility in Grand Forks, ND

GRAND FORKS, ND - Senator Kent Conrad today toured the new production facility for Ideal Aerosmith, a leading manufacturer of aerospace test components and technology for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

"Ideal Aerosmith is a proven company and a key player in the Red River Valley Research Corridor and beyond. Their work in UAS technology is cutting-edge. With research facilities and manufacturing here in Grand Forks, Ideal Aerosmith's success supports the growth and development of our communities here in North Dakota and protects our men and women fighting overseas," Senator Conrad said.

Ideal Aerosmith recently opened their new headquarters, a 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on South Washington Street that employs approximately 40 people.

Senator Conrad met today with Ideal Aerosmith's executives and staff to discuss their development of a state-of-the-art flight motion simulator for UAS. Ideal Aerosmith is partnering with the University of North Dakota to develop the simulator to provide an environment for navigation, targeting, and other payloads and sensors to be tested without the expense of actual aircraft flight costs.

Ideal Aerosmith is a chief participant in the Red River Valley Research Corridor's annual Unmanned Aircraft Systems Action Summit. Last month, summit co-founder Senator Byron Dorgan asked Senator Conrad to continue his efforts to promote the UAS Action Summit and the Red River Research Corridor.

"I will continue to work to develop partnerships to grow UAS capabilities in North Dakota and build on the work of Senator Dorgan to make the Red River Valley a national hub for UAS activity," said Senator Conrad.

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