Oregon Public Broadcasting

Did you know that in the Columbia Gorge workers are designing unmanned spy planes? Well, it’s true.

The company is called Insitu and it just got snapped up by Boeing for nearly $400-million. Richland Correspondent Anna King has the story.

Insitu calls the Columbia River town of Bingen, Washington home. The company started in 1994. Back then it made small planes that could scout for schools of ocean-going tuna.

Now the company builds unmanned planes in its 14 buildings with its 360 workers. That’s largely thanks to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Al Jackson is one of the company’s top officials. He says Insitu will benefit from having a giant company like Boeing back its play.

Al Jackson: "We’re going to maintain our culture. We are going to stay independent, autonomous; we’re going to continue to do the things that have made us a world leader. But we are also going to have the opportunity to reach back into Boeing for some resources, and help and backing and collaboration so this is all good."

Right now the company builds two kinds of small, unmanned planes. The biggest has a wing span of about 10-feet and sports powerful cameras.