Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, has named xCraft Enterprises, LLC of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho as the Small Business of the Month for January 2017. xCraft will be recognized in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate.

“Idaho is home to a burgeoning technology industry, thanks to a number of impressive innovators who bring their entrepreneurial spirit and innovations to our state,” said Senator Risch. “xCraft has made our great state proud with their considerable success and continuous innovation in and contribution to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, industry. Their drones add immense value to a diverse number of industries that rely on this technology, and they continue to be a leader in this space. I am proud to recognize xCraft as the January Small Business of the Month.”

Co-founder and CEO JD Claridge started xCraft based on his lifelong love of flying and aviation. His vision was for a company that would develop small, powerful, long-range drones to serve the needs of both hobbyists and commercial customers. xCraft’s patent-pending drones are built with lightweight materials that allow for long-range flight and are also capable of flying pre-programmed GPS-enabled flight paths. Notably, the company has designed a drone which has the ability to carry and utilize a smartphone, making it possible to link advanced smartphone technology to an economically-priced small drone.

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees proposed legislation on matters relating to entrepreneurship and provides oversight of the Small Business Administration. The committee also researches, investigates and reports all problems relating to America’s small businesses to the full Senate. As Chairman, Risch will continue to honor America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Senate each month.