A Norfolk-based commercial drone operator has moved a step closer to carrying out Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights.
HexCam, which operates from Felthorpe Airfield, can now fly its drones up to 9km away from a remote pilot after securing Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval.
The company is currently limited to Beyond Visual Line of Sight with Visual Mitigation (BVLOS-VM) flights, using visual observers to track drones from the ground.
However, this latest approval puts it on track to achieve ‘true BVLOS’ flights, whereby a drone is remotely controlled and monitored with no visual observers.
It also marks a significant increase on the previous flight limit of 2.5km – and in turn delivers tangible benefits to HexCam’s offshore energy clients.
“The new increased spacing between crew members, combined with the longer overall flight distances, means that we will have far less impact on the ground,” said director Rowley Cory-Wright.
“Our clients will no longer need to seek the same level of access from landowners for take-off and landing sites or visual observer locations, and there will be far less risk of disturbing livestock or walking on environmentally or otherwise sensitive areas.
“It makes long-distance large area surveying and mapping even more unobtrusive and is perfectly suited to survey, mapping, construction monitoring and inspection work on infrastructure projects such as cable corridors for offshore wind projects, water pipelines and power line or grid upgrades.”
In order to secure CAA approval, HexCam had to thoroughly demonstrate and prove its methods of conducting and managing longer-range flights.
The company also had to make a number of important changes, such as fitting extra strobes to its drones to improve visibility at distance and using the PilotAware ATOM virtual RADAR system to enhance the ‘situational awareness’ of the remote pilot and visual observers.
“That will improve the visibility of other air traffic to us; while making us more visible to anyone else using a virtual radar system,” said Rowley.
Etc. at BT Group also supplied HexCam with drone-specific SIM cards to extend flight distances and establish command and control (C2) over the mobile phone network.
HexCam has already conducted coverage surveys along the route of its BVLOS sandbox trial, which aims to make BVLOS drone flights an everyday reality.
The next step is to extend the test flight range of the SPARROW HAWK fixed-wing drone, supplied by StirlingX, a Gallos company, which will require further CAA approval.
“Getting to this stage has involved technical expertise and smart interpretation of current regulations”, said Rowley.
“When we talk about innovation, it’s not just about the technology – it’s equally about pushing those regulatory boundaries.”
For more information, visit hexcam.co.uk, call 01603 327676 or email hello@hexcam.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article