Empire Unmanned
Empire Unmanned is the unmanned-aircraft division of Empire Airlines, positioned as an aerial photogrammetry services provider. It operates within a parent group that serves as the largest regional cargo operator for FedEx across the western United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersHayden, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Empire Unmanned does
Empire Unmanned is the unmanned-aircraft division of Empire Airlines, a privately held regional aviation group headquartered in Hayden, Idaho. According to its firmographic profile, the company is positioned as "the leading experts in aerial photogrammetry," operating within a parent group that also runs a traditional regional airline and an Aerospace division. The parent entity, Empire Airlines, was founded in 2014 (per firmographic data) and has grown to become the largest regional cargo operator for FedEx in the United States, providing contracted express-delivery flight services across the western United States using a mixed fleet of ATR 42/72/600 turboprops, Cessna 208 Caravans, and Cessna 408 SkyCouriers.
Empire Unmanned inherits operational and contractual infrastructure from Empire Airlines, including the parent group's exclusive regional distribution arrangement with FedEx, its launch-customer status for the ATR 72-600F (2020), its commissioned delivery of Cessna 408 SkyCouriers (2022), and its participation in the FedEx Purple Runway pilot-development pathway. The firmographic short description indicates the division's commercial focus is aerial photogrammetry services, suggesting unmanned aircraft operations adjacent to but distinct from the parent's cargo mission.
The business model is enterprise B2B: the parent operates as a managed-services contractor for FedEx, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue predictability for the broader group is anchored by long-term contracted cargo work, while the Unmanned division represents a forward push into higher-margin adjacent services. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent or institutional investor, is actively hiring pilots and technicians, and reports no pending M&A, funding, or regulatory actions.
Empire Unmanned firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Empire Unmanned
- Legal name
- Empire Airlines
- Website
- https://empireunmanned.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Empire Unmanned is the unmanned-aircraft division of Empire Airlines, positioned as an aerial photogrammetry services provider. It operates within a parent group that serves as the largest regional cargo operator for FedEx across the western United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Empire Unmanned industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerial Photogrammetry Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Drone/UAS Application Services (Spraying, Spreading, Seeding) (AFACAIAB), Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG), Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)
Keywords
Where Empire Unmanned is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hayden
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Empire Unmanned business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cargo Flight Services: Contracted regional cargo flight operations for FedEx throughout the western United States using a fleet of ATR and Cessna aircraft.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Empire Unmanned product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empire Unmanned provides aerial photogrammetry services using unmanned aerial systems, operating as the unmanned division of Empire Airlines. The company delivers professional drone-based aerial imaging, mapping, and geospatial data collection to business clients, drawing on the operational aviation expertise of its parent company — the largest regional cargo operator for FedEx in the western United States.
Product overview
Empire Airlines is a regional airline operator that has expanded from its core airline operations to include Aerospace and Unmanned divisions. The company operates a fleet of ATR turboprop aircraft (ATR 42, ATR 72, ATR 600), Cessna 208 Caravans, and Cessna 408 SkyCouriers primarily for FedEx regional cargo operations throughout the western United States. Empire Airlines serves as the largest regional operator for FedEx, with notable product launches including becoming the North America launch customer for the ATR 72-600F in 2020 and receiving Cessna 408 SkyCouriers in 2022. The company also participates in the FedEx Purple Runway program for pilot development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Empire Aerospace: Aerospace division of Empire Airlines
- Empire Unmanned
Products and services
- Aerial Photogrammetry Services Drone-based aerial photogrammetry services including aerial imaging, mapping, and geospatial data capture for business clients in the western United States. Operates as the unmanned division of Empire Airlines.
Companies that use Empire Unmanned
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Empire Unmanned technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Empire Unmanned partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Textron Aviation (Cessna)coreIn 2022, Empire Airlines took delivery of new Cessna 408 SkyCouriers commissioned by FedEx. The Cessna 408 SkyCourier is part of their operational fleet for regional cargo services.
- FedExcoreFedEx is Empire Airlines' primary and dominant customer/partner. Empire Airlines operates as the largest regional operator for FedEx, providing cargo flight services throughout the western United States. The company participates in FedEx's Purple Runway pathway program designed to create a pipeline of qualified pilots with the goal of ultimately qualifying for the FedEx trunk fleet.
- ATR (Avions de Transport Régional)coreEmpire Airlines was chosen as the North America launch customer for the ATR 72-600F regional freighter in 2020, demonstrating a strategic partnership for new aircraft development and deployment.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Empire Unmanned competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk is a drone-based aerial data analytics and photogrammetry services company serving agriculture, energy, and infrastructure; direct competitor to Empire Unmanned's aerial photogrammetry offering with comparable UAS-driven mapping workflows.
- SenseFly (Parrot): SenseFly manufactures fixed-wing survey drones and provides photogrammetry solutions to aerial surveying professionals; directly competes with Empire Unmanned in survey-grade UAS photogrammetry.
- Pix4D: Pix4D offers photogrammetry processing software used by drone operators worldwide; competes with Empire Unmanned's aerial mapping value proposition and serves the same drone-service workflow.
- Sentera: Sentera provides drone-based imaging and analytics primarily for agriculture and infrastructure; competes with Empire Unmanned in aerial imagery and crop scouting applications.
- DroneDeploy: DroneDeploy provides drone-mapping software and aerial inspection/photogrammetry workflows for construction, agriculture, and mining; competes with Empire Unmanned in the photogrammetry software and services stack.
- Measure (Vector Group): Measure provides drone services and UAS program management for enterprise customers in telecom, energy, and construction; directly comparable to Empire Unmanned's enterprise drone services model.
Emerging players
- Skydio: Skydio produces autonomous drones for inspection and mapping across construction, public safety, and infrastructure; overlaps with Empire Unmanned's UAS-based aerial data capture use cases.
- Near Space Labs: Near Space Labs delivers high-resolution aerial imagery using stratospheric balloons and drones for surveying and mapping; competes with Empire Unmanned in the aerial imagery-as-a-service category.
Broad incumbents
- Empire Airlines (parent): Empire Airlines is the parent entity and provider of crewed aviation infrastructure, training, and shared services to Empire Unmanned; comparable as the same broader business group that hosts the Unmanned division.
Others
- Skyward (Verizon): Skyward provides drone operations management software and connectivity services for enterprise drone programs; adjacent to Empire Unmanned as an enabling platform in the drone-services ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Empire Unmanned social profiles
Digital presenceEmpire Unmanned financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Empire Unmanned leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Empire Unmanned funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Empire Unmanned M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Empire Unmanned
What does Empire Unmanned do?
Empire Unmanned provides aerial photogrammetry services using unmanned aerial systems, operating as the unmanned division of Empire Airlines. The company delivers professional drone-based aerial imaging, mapping, and geospatial data collection to business clients, drawing on the operational aviation expertise of its parent company — the largest regional cargo operator for FedEx in the western United States.
Is Empire Unmanned a public or private company?
Empire Unmanned is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Empire Unmanned founded?
Empire Unmanned was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Empire Unmanned based?
Empire Unmanned is headquartered in Hayden, United States, in the North America region.
How does Empire Unmanned make money?
One revenue line is on record: cargo Flight Services.
Who are Empire Unmanned's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PrecisionHawk, SenseFly (Parrot), Pix4D, Sentera, DroneDeploy and Measure (Vector Group). Emerging players are Skydio and Near Space Labs. Empire Airlines (parent) is listed as a broad incumbent. Skyward (Verizon) is listed as an others.
Does Empire Unmanned have an API?
No public API is recorded for Empire Unmanned.
What industry is Empire Unmanned in?
Empire Unmanned's product category is Aerial Photogrammetry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAIAJ, Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts), with a secondary code of AFACAIAB, Drone/UAS Application Services (Spraying, Spreading, Seeding). Its NAICS code is 4881 and its SIC code is 3812.