On November 28th, of this year, Percepto Corp., an autonomous capable drone in a box company, announced the FAA had granted them a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) permit to allow for commercial operation of up to 30 drones, simultaneously with one pilot. Some might refer to this many numbers of drones simultaneously operating together with advance software and flying in formation, as a “drone swarm” …but more on that later.
This isn’t the first time the FAA has granted Percepto a BVLOS waiver. On September 29th, 2020, Percepto received a pioneering waiver to inspect critical communications infrastructure during the devastating Big Hollow fire in Washington State, which burned more than 24,000 acres. The area of concern was deemed inaccessible to humans due to the choking smoke and heat. Also of concern, was that the fire, heat, water, and smoke damage could potentially interrupt critical rescue and firefighting communications. Hence the need for a remotely operated asset that could access the area and survive. Personally, I think this was a perfect use-case for drone technology.
So, what’s the big deal about this swarm technology being used? According to Percepco “For heavy industry, namely oil & gas, utilities and other energy stakeholders, this significantly reduces operational expenses and increases operational efficiencies….” Also “This waiver builds on Percepto’s years of regulatory efforts, allowing for safe nationwide drone BVLOS operations with no humans on site or the need for expensive radars, using remote pre-flight checks, extensive automation, and now the ability to operate up to 30 drone-in-a-box systems simultaneously.”
The big deal here is that it’s going to increase efficiencies, thus saving time and money. Also of no small note, this portends to reduce the environmental footprint and boost employee and community safety at scale. Again, this is a great use of drone technology, but there’s something about that word “SWARM” that is nagging at the back of my mind…
I’ve seen some comments of AVWEB where a few individuals are voicing their concern of drones or drone swarms flying into other aircraft, namely helicopters or small aircraft. While the potential for a mid-air collision will always exist, drone flights of this nature are required to be NOTAM’d (Notice to Air Missions) in advance. For those not in the aviation community, it means a special notice will be put out which ALL pilots are supposed to check before they go fly. Obviously, trouble could follow should one not do their proper pre-flight checks and review the NOTAMS in advance…
What nags at me in the back of my mind is this word SWARM… Could this possibly be the precursor to SKY-NET? Ha Ha Ha, of course not, this is so silly…computers can’t possibly come close to thinking like humans can. They can’t have emotional reactions or think or get angry or create art or do any of those things… Ha Ha Ha
Alas, Percepto’s BVLOS waiver marks a significant leap forward in drone technology, offering unparalleled operational flexibility. As we marvel at the advancements, it’s worth considering the potential future implications of drone swarm technology and its integration into our airspace.