Gap Between Drones and Manned Aircraft Shrinking (Inspection & Mapping)

UAS Capabilities Catching Up to Manned Aircraft

Even with all the excitement that has always followed the development of unmanned aircraft technology, manned aircraft (helicopters, planes, etc.) has remained king when it comes to large area mapping and long corridor inspection projects.

A major limitation to the efficiency of UAS surveying operations has been the need to operate drones within the operator’s visual line of sight. 

Meaning even in the best conditions a UAS pilot could only map 2-mile segments of a corridor at a time, and then they would have to relocate to a new launch point to continue operations.

This has meant that after just a few miles, manned helicopters and planes can appear to be the more economical option - even if the data captured at these higher altitudes and faster speeds is less inclusive and less detailed than data collected lower and slower by a drone carried sensor.

Not only has UAS technology continued to advance over time, but the FAA has begun granting special waivers allowing qualified commercial drone operators to fly specially equipped autonomous aircraft beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

BNSF for example, conducted their first BVLOS flights in 2016 on a 132 miles of track in New Mexico.

Over the years that followed, the FAA has allowed BVLOS missions to be flown following major weather events to assess damaged infrastructure and to inform the efficient deployment of ground crews.

No longer is the slow pace of inspecting electric utility assets in 2-mile segments the standard.

Because of BVLOS enabled drones and operators qualified through hundreds of flights, a single aircraft can be used to conduct more than 50 miles of electrical utility inspection in a single day.

And sure - a helicopter can fly 50 miles in much less time, but often UAS inspections uncover compromised assets that have been missed by consecutive annual inspections performed from helicopters.

Sometimes it’s missing cotter pins and keys or damaged insulators that are discovered. Other times it’s cracks in the steel cross arm of a transmission tower that has rusted well beyond what’s possible in a single year.

During wildfires air quality can become unsafe for humans, and that can make helicopter inspections impossible.

Through the FAA’s expedited Special Governmental Interest process however, BVLOS operations have been granted for the inspection of critical communications infrastructure near active wildfires.

While special BVLOS approval doesn't usually waive the requirement for visual observers to be on-site, this particular approval allowed pilots to conduct these BVLOS missions from the safety of their homes - hundreds of miles away.

Skynetwest | Data Retrieval Services

Faster and more accurate than traditional methods is exactly what you get from the comprehensive mapping and inspection services available through Skynetwest.

Skynetwest is a team of qualified data retrieval specialists, experienced in capturing data to support the efforts of surveyors, engineers, and owners.

Questions About Using BVLOS Equipped Aircraft on Your Project?

Call or text Brendan Alan Barrett at 281-857-6543

Or pre-schedule a time to chat by phone [HERE].