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Powerline Inspections
Beyond Visual Line of Sight

PAU has been granted a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver for data acquisition on utility powerline assets nationwide.

Scalable drone inspections are now unlocked for all electric utilities nationwide. Who will lead with us?

Powerline Inspections Truly Beyond Visual Line of Sight

Where

Nationwide - for any Department of Energy recognized electric utility.

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Distance 

To the performance limitations of the aircraft. Point to point flights allow for up to ten miles per flight with reserve. 

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Concept of Operations 

No daisy-chain visual observers. The authorization is true BVLOS using electronic means for airspace surveillance. 

 

Inspection Sensors

The authorization is payload agnostic. We fly high resolution imagery, LiDAR, Infrared, or NDVI. Please contact us to discuss your sensor needs.

The Flight Operation

Point To Point

The aircraft is launched from one location and recovered up to ten miles down the powerline right-of-way by a second flight team.

AviAtion Professionals

As an IS-BAO registered RPAS operator, we staff minimum Part 61 certificated pilots to operate BVLOS.

Airspace Surveillence

No daisy-chain visual observers are required. We use electronic means to monitor airspace along the route of flight.

Multi-Sensor

High Resolution Imagery, LiDAR, Infrared, Multi-Spec, Video...the BVLOS authorization is not limited to a specific payload.

Utility Infrastructure Inspections Beyond Line of Sight

Part 107 Regulations Waived

  • 14 CFR § 107.31, Visual line of sight aircraft operation, is waived to allow operation of the small unmanned aircraft (sUA) beyond the direct visual line of sight of the remote pilot in command (PIC).

 

  • 14 CFR § 107.33(b) & (c)(2), Visual observer, is waived to the extent necessary to allow operation of the small unmanned aircraft (sUA) when any Visual Observer (VO) who is participating in the operation may not be able see the unmanned aircraft in the manner specified in § 107.31.

 

  • 14 CFR § 107.39(a), Operations over human beings, is waived to allow sUA operations over human beings who are not direct participants, necessary for the safe operation of the small unmanned aircraft.

 

  • 14 CFR § 107.145, Operations over Moving Vehicles, is waived to allow sUA operations over a moving vehicle.

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15,000 miles of experience

Our BVLOS concept of operations has been refined over 15,000 miles of powerline inspection flight operations. We did not receive authorization by simply applying...we provided thousands of miles of past performance, operational history, and safety data. 

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We understand BVLOS operations are meaningless without added value, which is why we place emphasis on creating the most safe and efficient inspection method possible via drone. 

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The waiver states, “For the purpose of this Waiver sufficient VO(s) is defined as at least one VO using the electronic means described in the waiver application to monitor the air space…”

We utilize airspace awareness software provided by Kongsberg Geospatial that gives our flight crews live feeds of air traffic in the operations area for safety and deconfliction. This permits us to fly ten continuous miles,  without having to go down and back allowing us to operate with increased efficiency and more data collection in a shorter timeframe.

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What Makes This Authorization Different?

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The waiver states, “Except for sUA take-off, landing, and performing the "safe state" maneuver described in the waiver application, sUA operations are limited to within 100 feet vertically and 20 feet horizontally from the centerline of electrical power transmission line structures;”

Many waivers authorizing infrastructure shadowing limit the aircraft to 50 feet above the powerline infrastructure. Our BVLOS authorization allows for 100 feet, providing additional standoff for sensor field of view and safety, giving the end-user highly detailed and actionable data. 

The waiver states, “Operations conducted under the Waiver are limited to the locations and area meeting the performance criteria requirements in the waiver application.”

BVLOS flights are available to all utilities nationwide. Flight paths suitable for BVLOS are determined by population and airspace performance criteria. We meet a strict safety case by implementation of risk mitigation through restricting BVLOS flights in areas of increased population density. If an area does not meet the criteria of the waiver application, we complete the inspection visual line of sight. 

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Aviators First

Are you an electric utility building an inspection program?

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Are you an analytics provider in need of acquisition services for your utility customer?

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As a group of aviation professionals, we cater to both organizations to provide a turnkey solution or deliver data for expert analysis. 

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