Atlas Dynamics: Autonomous Patrol Drone (not OK with FAA)

In this episode, the Roswell Flight Test Crew talks with Nikolas Trutiak of Atlas Aerospace about the company's tricopter-configured drone for public safety and other security applications. The aircraft works with the Nest: a weatherproof housing that recharges and replaces aircraft batteries automatically. It contains four batteries, which can be replaced in as little as three minutes, meaning it is capable of sustained flight operations. The drone can take off from and land in the Nest autonomously. With appropriate authorizations, it is capable of flying perimeter patrol missions under its own control, as well as responding to alarms. The drones are capable of forming a mesh network with each other and the Nest, as well as a hand-held repeater and data downlink. To reach its full potential, the Atlas require fully autonomous and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, which are difficult to achieve under current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. Consequently, Atlas is currently flying in the European Union to test and prove its technology.