New Development in EVLOS Drone Operations

New Development in EVLOS Drone Operations

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Drone development company PrecisionHawk announced Phase 1 Pathfinder Results relating to Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS) operations for a solo pilot in command.

On EVLOS operation, a remote pilot in command relies on one or more remote observers to keep the unmanned aircraft in visual sight at all times, relaying critical flight information via radio and assisting him in maintaining safe separation from other aircraft.

The report quantifies EVLOS distance at 2-3 nautical miles for non-technology assisted drone operations.

According to the company’s website, the program is an FAA-led initiative to facilitate the early introduction of low-altitude operations for small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System.

FAA regulation prohibits drone pilots from operating a drone when they can’t physically see the craft. This poses a potential barrier to EVLOS dependent uses such as monitoring of emergency situations, package delivery, wildlife census counts and expanded agricultural surveying. By being able to fly farther from one location, companies would reduce the costs of the operations.

It was also reported that the company developed a new software tool, DataMapper InFlight, which allows remote operators to capture images only within a selected area, something that will help prevent the accidental collection of sensitive data.

The results announcement was part of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation held in Washington D.C.