AR drones get FAA nod to operate autonomously up to 10 miles

American Robotics (AR) says it has received a Part 107 waiver from the FAA for expanded automated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The company’s Scout drones can now operate autonomously at ranges of up to 10 miles, allowing for more efficient inspections over large industrial sites and linear assets such as pipelines, railways, and electrical transmission lines.

The new approval is essentially an amendment to AR’s original FAA waiver granted in 2021, which made the Ondas Networks subsidiary the first company allowed to operate its autonomous drone technology BVLOS with no pilots or visual observers on-site. Now, the FAA is authorizing the company to increase the range of its autonomous drone technology.

Read: American Water secures FAA waiver for 4-mile BVLOS drone flights

With a larger range and the ability to customize operations to fit unique customer site geographies, AR says it is enabling key industries to take advantage of autonomous drone operations and analytics. The company’s solution offerings to new customers in 2023 and beyond will also improve as a result of the new waiver.

As Reese Mozer, cofounder and CEO of American Robotics, says:

American Robotics believes that autonomy, safety, and government approval are the bedrock of a scalable commercial drone business, and we continue to execute this mission with additional approvals from the FAA. This achievement is not only a milestone for our company and our customers, but it’s also a signal that the commercial drone industry is progressing in the United States, an achievement that American Robotics is honored to be leading.

AR’s Scout systems are sold via Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscription-based model.

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