Iridium Proposes a New Model for Monitored BVLOS UAS Integration in the National Airspace System

Flight trial-based data analysis illustrates challenges to BVLOS operations can be overcome

MCLEAN, Va., June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) has announced the results of an Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) flight trial highlighting Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) capabilities in the National Airspace System (NAS), with a published a whitepaper titled "Monitored BVLOS: A New Model for UAS Integration in the National Airspace System." The whitepaper highlights and solves for challenges faced in enabling a safe, scalable, and efficient adoption of UAS in the NAS, including how to maintain safe separation of aircraft and what supportive Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) avionics are readily available.

As part of the flight trial, a Remote Pilot-in-Command (RPIC) drone equipped with Iridium Connected COTS avionics, identified an intersecting aircraft at five Nautical Miles (NM) of separation with a closure rate of 300 knots. The RPIC successfully performed a BVLOS evasive maneuver in less than 18 seconds from detection to completion, maintaining two NM of separation with nonidealized operations.

Based on this flight trial conducted in partnership with American Aerospace Technologies Inc., Iridium confirmed that a simplified Minimum Equipment List (MEL) could enable an RPIC to safely monitor a mission, communicate with air traffic control, and ensure safe Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) separation from other aircraft. The results also showed that BVLOS operations are ideal for Class E airspace, as it presents a greatly reduced risk of encountering other crewed Visual Flight Rules (VFR) aircraft. The analysis was completed following the trial flight of a 220-pound, medium altitude, fixed-wing aircraft, known as the AiRanger, over agricultural land near Bakersfield, California.

The flight trial provided needed data regarding how RPIC operations and procedures inform decision-making, how long maneuvers take to complete over BVLOS communication links, and as a result, the ability to maintain safe separation. With these points in mind, the whitepaper suggests a simplified Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) BVLOS waiver process inclusive of the recommended MEL and provides a proposed template for consideration.