Percepto Granted FAA Approval for Highly Automated BVLOS Operations

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Today, leading autonomous inspection and monitoring solution provider Percepto announced that its drone-in-a-box solution has been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct highly automated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (HA BVLOS) inspection and monitoring operations at a solar power plant in Texas.

Continue reading below or listen:

The approval extends to up to 200 feet above ground level, twice the altitude of any previously approved HA BVLOS drone operation in the U.S., and allowing for more operational flexibility to monitor larger areas and structures, such as mapping and modeling applications.

Percepto’s advanced technology enables an automated detect and avoid (DAA) cycle without the need for a pilot or visual observer on site, removing the requirement for remote pilot in command intervention upon detection of other aircraft within the airspace. This functionality will enable the future deployment of centrally controlled drone-in-a-box fleets of multiple sites.

“Gaining this approval marks a significant milestone to provide remote and autonomous inspections at industrial sites, fulfilling Percepto’s mission to provide safe and reliable critical infrastructure,” said Percepto Policy & Government Affairs VP Neta Gliksman. “We are grateful to the FAA for their diligence in reviewing Percepto’s safety case, and we look forward to continuing to support the critical infrastructure community across the U.S.”

The initial deployment at the solar power plant deployment will serve as a model for additional  industries, such as oil & gas, and mining and utilities, to improve site efficiency via autonomous remote inspection missions. Percepto’s automated drone-in-a-box technology has seen use in many of these industries to simplify preventive maintenance, increase efficiency, improve safety and lower operational costs.

Read more:

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.