Transport Canada Approves BVLOS Commercial Drone Operations Utilizing Albatross UAV
Source: PR NEWSWIRE
Transport Canada has issued the second Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights in uncontrolled airspace utilizing infrastructure masking, Iris Automation's onboard detect-and-avoid (DAA) solution, and the Albatross UAV. The SFOC was granted to Quebec’s MVT Geo-solutions.
Under this SFOC, MVT, the UAS Center of Excellence (CED Alma), and Iris Automation will partner to conduct commercial missions over linear power lines in Alma, Quebec. Approval was granted to include the utilization of Iris Automation's DAA system, Casia, which provides commercial drones with automated collision avoidance maneuvers. The UAV platform utilized is the long range Albatross UAV from Applied Aeronautics.
These flights will mark the partnership's first BVLOS flights outside of the CED Alma test range that will leverage onboard DAA for air risk mitigation and does not require ground-based visual observers or radar. It is the second BVLOS waiver the partnership has secured in Canada, with the first waiver being limited to flights within the Center of Excellence's controlled airspace.
BVLOS flights unlock autonomous drone use for economically beneficial commercial applications including infrastructure inspection, mining, mapping, agriculture, emergency response, and package delivery.
Resulting flight missions from this approval will help inform more complex commercial operations in the future.
Applied Aeronautics selected Iris Automation’s DAA system in 2019 as their BVLOS solution of choice. For more information about Albatross and Iris Automation’s Casia, please visit www.appliedaeronautics.com
About Applied Aeronautics
Applied Aeronautics is a US-based UAV manufacturer, specializing in the design and manufacturing of affordable, long-range composite drones. Applied Aeronautics’ flagship product, The Albatross, is an electric fixed wing UAV designed for use in most industries, ranging from agriculture and research to disaster management and defense. This entirely customizable solution was engineered for accessibility, to meet the growing demand for a professional UAV that married robust capabilities with an affordable price point. For more information, please visit http://www.AppliedAeronautics.com
About Iris Automation
Iris Automation is building a collision avoidance system that helps drones see the world how pilots do. By enabling Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to fly Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight (BVLOS), Iris is the critical missing piece that takes commercial drone operations from theoretical to functional. The company is based in San Francisco and is led by a team with experience at NASA, Boeing, and Nvidia, including PhDs in computer vision. Iris is a key partner on multiple FAA UAS Integration Pilot Programs, a participant of NASA's Unmanned Traffic Management program and a participant of Transport Canada's BVLOS Technology Demonstration Program. For more information, visit www.irisonboard.com