{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5767627F-207E-4653-B26A-340D38505C09", "Heitkamp Highlights Innovation in ND UAS Industry at Packet Digital, Botlink", "2016-09-23", "2016", "2016-09", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FARGO, N.D. \u2013 U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a strong supporter of North Dakota\u2019s growing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry, today toured Packet Digital in Fargo to learn more about its ground-breaking technology to increase energy efficiency and battery life as well as the affiliated Botlink, another Fargo-based startup on the forefront of UAS development.\u00a0\r\nPacket Digital, a women-owned small business in Fargo, specializes in innovative power management applications, including a new technology that extends battery life by 400 percent in wireless sensors. Its cutting-edge technology has the potential to expand UAS applications in fields such as precision agriculture and infrastructure inspection \u2013 helping farmers work more efficiently, and make sure inspections of railroads and pipelines are done effectively. \u00a0In June 2014, Packet Digital partnered with Aerobatic Innovations to form Botlink, which Heitkamp also toured. Botlink develops technology for pilots, allowing them to track their aircraft in flight using real-time mapping technologies, communicate with air traffic control and other pilots, and receive real-time aircraft avoidance and assurance alerts.\u00a0\r\n\u201cNorth Dakota is a known leader in the UAS industry, and it\u2019s critical that we capitalize on this momentum to keep our businesses and state on the cutting edge,\u201d said Heitkamp. \u201cToday at Packet Digital and Botlink, I saw firsthand the commitment of these women-owned companies to turn ideas into reality by making the applications necessary to help businesses thrive.\u00a0 Packet Digital and Botlink are at the forefront of our state\u2019s UAS revolution, and I\u2019ll keep working to encourage a business-friendly climate that bolsters their innovative work, as well as the public-private partnerships the UAS industry needs to prosper.\u201d\r\nFor years, Heitkamp has worked to advance emerging UAS technologies across the state. In 2014, she\u00a0brought the FAA Administrator to North Dakota to announce the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Forks and successfully\u00a0pressed the FAA to remove barriers\u00a0blocking the test site\u2019s flight operations. Heitkamp continues to work to encourage safe commercial use of UAS,\u00a0introducing bipartisan legislation\u00a0last year that would remove red tape for UAS research, open the door to more private investment, and save taxpayer money.\r\nThrough her role on the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Heitkamp has been a strong advocate for women-owned small businesses. Last year, Heitkamp brought Cabinet Member U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet to North Dakota to hear unique challenges rural small businesses face. Heitkamp and Contreras-Sweet met with successful female entrepreneurs in Bismarck about collaborative strategies to encourage and support women-owned small businesses, and about how to overcome roadblocks they face in starting or growing their businesses.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5767627F-207E-4653-B26A-340D38505C09"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.002415083348751, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}