BVLOS - eVTOL Insights

Inmarsat partners with TTP to hasten integration of UAVs into commercial airspace

eVTOL Insights Editorial31 January 2023

Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA) have announced the development of a compact satellite terminal for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as part of the Iris air traffic modernisation programme, paving the way for UAVs to be safely integrated ...

FAA grants initial approval to allow BVLOS flights on North Dakota drone system

Jason Pritchard10 January 2023

Drone company uAvionix has received approval by the FAA to conduct beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone flights in North Dakota. Leveraging Vantis, the US state's first-of-its-kind UAS network, uAvionix demonstrated to the FAA that it establ...

Astral, Skyports and Swoop Aero complete Kenya’s first BVLOS drone deliveries

Jason Pritchard2 June 2022

Kenyan drone operator Astral Aerial Solutions, Swoop Aero, and Skyports have conducted Kenya’s first Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone deliveries, with plans to launch permanent drone deliveries by the first quarter of 2023. The par...

AeroX seeks low-altitude surveillance system to support urban drone operations in North Carolina

eVTOL Insights Editorial13 May 2022

AeroX is seeking information from companies to provide a ground-based surveillance system to support low-altitude traffic management and to expand drone operations in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina. Project air traffic low-altit...

Northern Plains UAS Test Site and Thales provide key updates on country’s first statewide BVLOS network

Jason Pritchard14 April 2022

Our next podcast episode is now live! We were delighted to welcome Trevor Woods, Executive Director at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota, and Frank Matus, Director, ATC Digital Aviation Solutions, Americas – Thales Airspace Mobility ...

Iris Automation granted second waiver for BVLOS autonomous operations in City of Reno, as part of FAA’s BEYOND programme

Jason Pritchard11 April 2022

Iris Automation has been granted a second waiver for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) autonomous operations on behalf of the City of Reno, a participant in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) BEYOND programme, by utilising its Casia G gro...

Doosan Mobility Innovation, Iris Automation and Drone America to advance hydrogen fuel cell technology for BVLOS UAS operations

Jason Pritchard10 January 2022

Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) has signed agreements with Iris Automation and Drone America to pursue Doosan’s hydrogen fuel cell technology, which will help to enhance scalable systems for long range, autonomous beyond line-of-sight (BVLOS) UAS o...

Skyports gets go ahead to self-authorise drone operations with Light UAS Operator Certificate

Jason Pritchard30 September 2021

Skyports has obtained a Light UAS Operator Certificate from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) which permits the self-authorisation of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights. A light UAS operator certificate (LUC) is an organisational...

EHang’s 216 eVTOL and Falcon logistics model complete BVLOS trial flights in Estonia as part of EU’s GOF 2.0 project

Jason Pritchard13 September 2021

EHang has announced its flagship passenger-grade 216 AAV and Falcon logistics model have completed Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) trial flights for airport transport and parcel delivery in Estonia, under the European Union’s GOF 2.0 Integrated ...

FAA selects Iris Automation to participate on new BVLOS aviation rulemaking committee

Jason Pritchard16 June 2021

Iris Automation has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to participate in its BVLOS ARC (Aviation Rulemaking Committee), which was announced at last week's virtual AUVSI FAA Symposium. The UAS BVLOS ARC will provide recommendati...

Volocopter partners with Near Earth Autonomy to enable BVLOS capabilities for its VoloDrone eVTOL

Jason Pritchard27 May 2021

Volocopter is working with Near Earth Autonomy to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for its eVTOL VoloDrone, with a demonstration planned in Munich next year. Together, both companies will aim to establish standardised BVLOS c...

New partnership created to launch Ireland’s first operational vertiport for air taxis and BVLOS operations by 2022

Jason Pritchard27 May 2021

Skyports will help establish Ireland’s first passenger and cargo vertiport, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Future Mobility Campus Ireland, Avtrain and Shannon Group. The partnership will help launch an operat...

Flock Fridays — Episode Five: The Silicon Valley of the drone industry?

Jason Pritchard19 March 2021

In this week's episode, James goes on a virtual trip to Norway and speaks to Håkon Kjerkreit from KVS Technologies. Håkon talks about the art of autonomy and how the country is becoming a centre of excellence for BVLOS flights. #FlockFridays is...

Iris Automation launches Canada Pathfinder program to advance commercial drone operations

Jason Pritchard17 February 2021

Iris Automation has launched the Canada Pathfinder Program, which aims help streamline the complex steps required to achieve Beyond Visual Light of Sight (BVLOS) approvals and experience. Recognising the challenges organisations face when advanci...

Jon Damush of Iris Automation talks about the company’s work to develop Detect-and-Avoid software in latest podcast

Jason Pritchard11 February 2021

In this episode, we were joined by Jon Damush, Iris Automation's Chief Executive Officer. The company is pioneering Detect-and-Avoid systems and aviation policy services that enable customers to build scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations ...

Skyports joins UK CAA Sandbox to trial BVLOS flights in non-segregated airspace

Jason Pritchard8 May 2020

Drone delivery service provider Skyports has been accepted into the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Regulatory Sandbox to trial beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights in non-segregated airspace. The Regulatory Sandbox is a...