New BVLOS Waiver for Powerline Inspections: A Game Changer for Utility Services
Phoenix Air unmanned (PAU) has recently secured a complete waiver from the Federal Aviation administration (FAA) that permits utility powerline inspections to be conducted beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the remote pilot in command.
this authorization encompasses powerline infrastructure throughout the United states and is built on a foundation of extensive BVLOS transmission line inspection experiance, totaling thousands of miles.
Strategic Partnerships for Enhanced Safety
To implement this intricate nationwide BVLOS solution, PAU has collaborated with leading industry partners such as Freefly Systems and kongsberg Geospatial. These partnerships are crucial for ensuring multiple layers of safety and effective airspace management.
“We are excited to provide scalable BVLOS UAS inspection services to utilities across the nation. Our history of performance and dedication to aviation safety has culminated in this significant authorization. We have successfully completed over 13,000 miles of inspections for Xcel Energy under FAA BVLOS waivers, and we are now poised to extend these services to all utilities in the U.S.,” stated William Lovett, Managing director of PAU.
Comprehensive Operational Capabilities
The granted waiver allows operations beyond the visual line of sight of both the remote pilot and visual observers, as well as operations over populated areas and moving vehicles. This authorization is underpinned by a robust safety framework that includes electronic airspace monitoring, a clearly defined operational area, and performance metrics that validate the safety of the operations.
“Many BVLOS waivers necessitate visual observers along the flight path, which can increase costs and complexity. This new authorization allows for electronic airspace monitoring as an alternative risk management strategy. To establish this operation, we chose partners with proven reliability and aviation expertise. For electronic airspace monitoring, PAU utilizes the IRIS Terminal developed by Kongsberg Geospatial. This platform provides our UAS operators with real-time visibility of BVLOS airspace, displaying both cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft tracks on a single interface within our mobile monitoring stations,” explained William Wheeler, Director of Operations at PAU.
Advanced Aerial Platforms for Inspection
The Freefly Systems Alta X has been selected as the preferred aerial platform, featuring adaptable payload options for Phase One cameras or LiDAR systems. With over 10,000 miles of experience in transmission line inspections using the Alta X,its reliability significantly strengthens our safety case for regulators.
phoenix Air Unmanned flight crews operate the Freefly Alta X along the centerline of transmission lines, moving from one structure to another while capturing a variety of datasets, including high-resolution inspection images. Notably, in June 2021, a single PAU flight team managed to capture 134.4 miles of transmission line inspection imagery in just one day. These inspections were conducted under a similar BVLOS waiver, demonstrating the scalability of BVLOS transmission line inspection operations using UAS technology.
