Drone Integration Pilot Program Announcement

AviationBroker · May 8, 2018

Hello,

I am hoping some of you can shed some light on this for me.

I recently read the below article about the Drone Integration Pilot Program. It is my understanding that the feds, local governments, and businesses have been working together to begin UAS operations that have not been allowed in the US yet (BVLOS, deliveries, certain airspace, etc.). The below article suggests that they were going to announce the "winners" yesterday. However, I have not seen any news on this subject.

Cities await announcement of drone pilot program winners -- GCN

Has anyone else heard anything?

Thanks,

Joe Ernster

AviationBroker · May 8, 2018

I just found this article saying it is now Wednesday. I am very excited about this.

Exclusive: U.S. to reveal winners of drone program that has...

Thanks,

Joe Ernster

AviationBroker · May 9, 2018

Here is the list of winners! It will be very interesting to see how this pans out.

Brace yourself for drone deliveries and more as the US endorses several test projects

RNCotton · May 15, 2018

AviationBroker said:
Here is the list of winners! It will be very interesting to see how this pans out.

Brace yourself for drone deliveries and more as the US endorses several test projects

I'll keep ya in the loop.

I'm part of the Memphis group.

UAV_Mapper · May 15, 2018

RNCotton said:
I'll keep ya in the loop. I'm part of the Memphis group.

Maybe you can help to shed some light on what this program actually means for UAV businesses and entities involved? We were asked to participate, but I couldn't see any benefits for our program, so maybe the organizer sold it wrong (they didn't win). Thanks for any clarity you can provide. Congrats by the way!

AviationBroker · May 15, 2018

@RNCotton - Thank you so much! Congratulations!

Quad Squad · May 16, 2018

Question....how can we be held to flying at VLOS, when these "winners" won't be held to that standard?

Moosewax · May 16, 2018

Quad Squad said:
Question....how can we be held to flying at VLOS, when these "winners" won't be held to that standard?

Winners are held to that standard. Be careful what you read. Almost all of what you see being reported is people claiming BVLOS operations when it's actually EVLOS (extended visual line of sight).

Right now human eyeballs must provide See and Avoid for their aircraft period. The only exception had been made for FLIR for their ultra tiny helicopter drone(palm sized). Even then it must stay like below 200ft agl or so and only get 1 mile from the operator max. Their COA is on the FAA website.

Everyone else either daisy chains VOs watching the drone that talk to the PIC, or you use VOs to keep a clean area of operations and any non-participating aircraft that penetrate that zone must be seen and avoided. So basically you don't see the drone but you can see the airspace the drone is in, so if an aircraft enters the area you can avoid it still.

No one in the USA has true military style watch it on a screen 20 miles away BVLOS. Not under 107 and legal anyways.

Moosewax · May 16, 2018

Moosewax said:
Winners are held to that standard. Be careful what you read. Almost all of what you see being reported is people claiming BVLOS operations when it's actually EVLOS (extended visual line of sight).

Right now human eyeballs must provide See and Avoid for their aircraft period. The only exception had been made for FLIR for their ultra tiny helicopter drone(palm sized). Even then it must stay like below 200ft agl or so and only get 1 mile from the operator max. Their COA is on the FAA website.

Everyone else either daisy chains VOs watching the drone that talk to the PIC, or you use VOs to keep a clean area of operations and any non-participating aircraft that penetrate that zone must be seen and avoided. So basically you don't see the drone but you can see the airspace the drone is in, so if an aircraft enters the area you can avoid it still.

No one in the USA has true military style watch it on a screen 20 miles away BVLOS. Not under 107 and legal anyways.

Also as an addon, PrecisionHawk claims they are going to get a true BVLOS waiver for their ultra huge Xfold Dragon drone, a 50lbs hexacopter. It will have a parachute and a microphone system with like 6 mics that can detect incoming aircraft. It will also carry a generator and batteries for power.

If they do get this they will be the absolute first under 107 to get a waiver that allows their Detect and Avoid system fulfill the requirements of See and Avoid thereby gaining true legal BVLOS capabilities.

If so I am probably going to hit them up for a quote on that microphobe aircraft detection system.

My work group has been looking at the xfold dragon too, looks sweet.