The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently authorized two additional companies to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
The agency asked for public input on four BVLOS requests and is reviewing one request.
Phoenix Air Unmanned was authorized to operate SwissDrones SVO 50 V2 drones for aerial work, aerial photography, survey and powerline and pipeline patrol and inspection.
UPS Flight Forward was authorized to use drones to deliver small package.
In addition, uAvionix can use the Vantis Network to test its detect-and-avoid technology.
The FAA will collect data from the operations and use the information to ongoing policy and rulemaking activities.
In June 2021, the FAA chartered the Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee to provide safety recommendations. The U.S. Department of Transportation is reviewing the committee’s final report.
The FAA wants to develop standard rules for BVLOS operations with the goal of integrating drones safely into the National Airspace System. The alternative would be to set aside separate airspace exclusively for drones.
The FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 directed the FAA, in conjunction with NASA, to continue developing a plan for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management to assist in integration efforts.