Giant Drone HEARS (!) Other Aircraft to Fly BVLOS

Episode Sponsored by Kellington Law Group: /
In this episode, the Roswell Flight Test Crew talks with Blaine Horner of PrecisionHawk about the company's latest drone, unveiled at AUVSI Xponential 2018. Powered by a gasoline engine and capable of lifting a 10-pound payload, it's most impressive innovation allows it to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). A key issue for safe BVLOS operations has been how to sense and avoid other aircraft. Particularly at low altitude, where drones operate, it is common for small, manned aircraft – such as crop dusters and helicopters – to fly without transponders. In order to detect these aircraft, PrecisionHawk has deployed a system of six microphones on board the drone which allow it to “hear” other aircraft and determine their direction and distance from the drone – allowing the pilot to steer clear of other aircraft even with the drone is operating beyond his or her visual line of sight. This approach has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).