UAS leveraging DAA system for BVLOS operations gets FAA nod
NewsMay 16, 2024
KIRKLAND, Wash. Radar platform provider Echodyne announced that its EchoFlight radar is integrated into the American Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (AATI) AiRanger aircraft, which recently obtained a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last week for commercial beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight operations, which enables AATI to use the onboard detect-and-avoid (DAA) system to adhere to aircraft right-of-way rules during BVLOS operations. The waiver means that the AiRanger is the first uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to meet industry consensus standards for the DAA system, the company says.
According to the Echodyne announcement, the FAA approval enables the AATI AiRanger – a 220-pound aircraft with as much as 12 hours and 750 miles of flying time at altitudes up to 12,000 feet -- to operate at medium altitudes under visual flight rules (VFR) beyond the pilot’s line of sight and without observers on the ground or in the air.
Echodyne officials say that the AiRanger will initially be deployed for critical infrastructure patrol, threat detection, and reporting, focusing on pipeline surveillance; this deployment is sued to maintain pipeline integrity and safety and to ensure quick response to potential hazards or leaks.
