According to the Grand Forks Herald, Unmanned Applications Institute (UAI) International and ISight RPV Services have merged together to form the Midwest Drone Group.

The two companies, which are both stationed at the Center for Innovation on the campus of the University of North Dakota, have a combined 11 employees that perform operations across 15 states.

“The last couple of years we have been working very closely together -- sharing people, sharing assets,” says Tommy Kenville, the Midwest president who founded UAI.

“We grew 100 percent last year, and we were growing a bunch this year. It just made sense for us to roll the companies together in ownership so we are growing together instead of separately.”

Founded in 2010 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, UAI claims to be the oldest private UAS business in North Dakota.

Initially, UAI offered consulting services and curriculum development, but eventually it expanded to offer inspection services for infrastructure as well.

ISight, which started in late 2014, also provides inspection services.

In a statement, ISight co-founder Adam Lingwall says, “we are very excited about the growth and the ability to hire local graduates and keep young professionals in North Dakota.”