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Aloft and uAvionix Partner to Deliver Unmatched Airspace Visibility for Drone Operators and Public Safety Agencies

Aloft Technologies and uAvionix announce the integration of uAvionix’s FlightLine ADS-B surveillance network and Casia G ground-based optical detect-and-avoid (DAA) system into Aloft’s Air Boss platform for enterprise UAS Traffic Management (UTM).

Aloft Technologies, a leading provider of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) fleet and airspace management solutions, and uAvionix, a pioneer in command, navigation and surveillance systems for UAS, today announced the integration of uAvionix’s FlightLine ADS-B surveillance network and Casia G ground-based optical detect-and-avoid (DAA) system into Aloft’s Air Boss platform for enterprise UAS Traffic Management (UTM).

This joint innovation sets a benchmark for real-time situational awareness by combining cooperative (ADS-B) and non-cooperative (Detect and Avoid – DAA) aircraft detection into a single operational UTM view. The integration gives public safety teams, commercial UAS operators, and regulatory authorities the tools to safely and confidently manage beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in increasingly complex airspace such as Drone as a First Responder (DFR) programs.

Aloft

The combined solution will be demonstrated at AUVSI Xponential 2025 next week, providing attendees with a firsthand look at the future of integrated airspace awareness.

Raising the Bar for Safety, Compliance, and Confidence

Core to the collaboration is a shared vision to make UAS operations safer, smarter, and more scalable. With uAvionix’s low-altitude multi-redudancy FlightLine ADS-B network, users gain access to real-time tracking of cooperative aircraft across the U.S., while Casia G adds ground-based optical sensing for detection of non-cooperative aircraft, such as general aviation aircraft or other UAS lacking ADS-B Out for electronic conspicuity.

This layered surveillance capability for risk management and decision making is now available within Aloft’s Air Boss, the powerful UTM platform trusted by enterprise operators and the FAA to manage airspace compliance and flight approvals.

“Partnering with uAvionix to integrate their advanced ADS-B and non-cooperative detection sensors further strengthens our already robust DAA capabilities within Aloft’s UTM and Air Boss platforms,” said Jon Hegranes, Founder & CEO of Aloft. “This integration elevates airspace safety and operational efficiency, enabling our shared customers and airspace stakeholders to achieve new levels of deconfliction, compliance, and confidence in advanced drone operations.”

“Partnering with Aloft’s market-leading Air Boss platform enables us to deliver our best-in-class sensor capabilities directly into the workflows of UAS operators who depend on accurate, reliable, and timely airspace data,” said Cyriel Kronenburg, VP of UAS and Aviation Networks at uAvionix. “This collaboration represents a meaningful leap forward in drone safety and operational effectiveness.”

Designed for Today’s Needs and Tomorrow’s Airspace

  • Enhanced Airspace Safety: A Unified view of cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft improves operator risk management and decision-making.
  • Operational Efficiency: Greater situational awareness on a single-pane-of-glass reduces the complexity of managing flights in congested or sensitive airspace environments.
  • Regulatory Alignment: Combined capability for detection of cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft supports growing FAA and international guidance for BVLOS and DAA equipage.

Initial deployments of FlightLine, Casia G and Air Boss are already underway in high-density UAS operation zones, validating performance in real-world conditions and demonstrating scalable readiness for nationwide deployment.

15 May 2025

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Smart Skies Healthy Waters named a winner of the fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge

The Smart Skies Healthy Waters initiative has been awarded £6 million as a headline winner of Ofwat’s fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge, aiming to revolutionize coastal water quality monitoring in the UK. Led by Northumbrian Water in collaboration with ARPAS-UK Member Skyports Drone Services, Makutu, Newcastle University, and Proteus Instruments, the project introduces a novel approach by integrating automated drones, advanced sensors, and cloud-based analytics to deliver near real-time water quality data.

Traditional water monitoring methods are often labor-intensive and infrequent. This project addresses these limitations by deploying drones equipped with sampling and analysis sensors directly over waterways. Collected samples are analyzed on-site using “lab-in-a-box” units, significantly reducing the time to obtain results from days to mere minutes. The data is then made publicly accessible, empowering communities with timely information about coastal water health.

“This project provides a ground-breaking opportunity to harness new technologies to enable more frequent monitoring of our bathing waters. This project will be a world first and a step change for our sector, helping to ensure healthier waters for our customers communities and our environment.“  Richard Warneford, Wastewater Director, Northumbrian Water (Smart Skies, Healthy Waters lead partner)

Alex Brown, Director of Drone Services, Skyports, said: “Monitoring and improving the UK’s water quality is so important to all of us. With drones we can reach further, more frequently and provide better insights compared to the normal way of collecting water samples. We started working with Northumbria Water and Makutu two years ago with our first water monitoring service, and this is the latest milestone to take this service to the next step. In the future we see a large network of water monitoring drones flying Beyond Visual Line of Sight around key water sites in the UK, providing instant insights back to Northumbrian Water, as well as other utilities, allowing them to take action where required to keep our waterways clean.”

David Black, CEO of Ofwat said:  “Water underpins our society and economy, and the water sector faces a range of challenges requiring urgent solutions. The Ofwat Innovation Fund was established five years ago to incentivise the water sector to collaborate with partners across industry, charities, and academia to accelerate the pace of transformation and create lasting benefits for customers and the environment.  The level of ambition of this year’s winners is remarkable. We are supporting these projects to prove their impact so that they can be scaled, not only here in England and Wales, but exported around the world as a driver of economic growth”. 

Makutu contributes its expertise in cloud-native data platforms, AI, and IoT to power the real-time data infrastructure, transforming raw sensor inputs into actionable insights. Skyports, known for operating long-range automated drones, provides the necessary infrastructure and regulatory knowledge to facilitate these complex operations.

21 May 2025

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uAvionix Releases muLTElink Upgrade, Enabling Seamless Autonomous C2 Link Management and Payload Comms for UAS Operations

Major software update to muLTElink products enables advanced link management for assured Command, Control (C2) and payload for UAS operations.

uAvionix, a leader in low-SWaP aviation-grade communications and surveillance technologies for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), today announced a significant software update to its muLTElink product family, enabling advanced link management for assured Command and Control (C2) and payload during UAS operations. 

muLTElink, which integrates up to four independent radios (C-Band, LTE, ISM, and optional IP based radios such as SATCOM or Starlink), includes advanced Dynamic Link Selection and Active Link Monitoring features. These improvements allow seamless, automated make-before-break switching across multiple C2 links—without operator intervention. The upgrade enables dedicated radios for Command Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) to be optimized for path and frequency diversity, minimizing the risk of lost connectivity in complex terrain or dynamic RF environments, while allowing an additional link for transmittal of payload data. 

“This release delivers meaningful improvements in operational resilience and cost-efficiency that our customers have asked for,” said Cyriel Kronenburg, VP of UAS and Aviation Networks at uAvionix. “Our customers face unpredictable terrain, RF interference, and increasing complexity while trying to control the aircraft and complete the mission. muLTElink’s enhanced automation means the UAS selects the best available link in real-time for C2 and keeps payload data streaming—so operators can focus on the mission, not the network, all through a single device.” 

New Capabilities and Highlights 

  • Real-Time Dynamic Link Selection – Automatically chooses the optimal link (LTE, C-Band, ISM, or an IP based radio such as SATCOM) based on real-time signal quality, interference, and geographic conditions.
  • Active Link Monitoring – Continuously monitors all available links and autonomously switches before failure occurs—virtually eliminating link loss.
  • Improved Network Resilience – Provides true frequency and path diversity. Adversarial interference or coverage gaps in one band are bypassed using alternative paths.
  • Lower Operational Costs – Intelligent link arbitration reduces unnecessary reliance on high-cost SATCOM by using LTE or ISM when viable.
  • Field-Proven Reliability – Under FAA contract testing, muLTElink achieved 99.97% link availability across a 360-mile flight path, with less than 5 seconds of total downtime over 4.3 hours. 

Deployment Scenarios

The upgraded muLTElink is optimized for high-risk and complex UAS operations such as: 

  • Long-range linear inspections (pipeline, powerline, rail)
  • Emergency response and public safety (DFR, overwatch)
  • Urban air mobility (UAM) trials and infrastructure surveys
  • FAA test site research and certification initiatives 

Current muLTElink configurations include the muLTElink5060, which combines LTE and C-Band in a compact 100g, 2W package, and the muLTElink915, offering LTE and ISM radios at 65g. Both support external SATCOM integration and are managed via uAvionix’s SkyLine C2 Manager, a web-based platform for link arbitration and C2 application integration. Either muLTELink can be combined with a skyLink915 or skyLink5060 for up to four communications links.

Trusted by Industry Leaders

muLTElink and skyLine is already at several ranges in partnership with NASA, Choctaw Nation, OAIRE, skyWay Range, Thales, and Vantis, and is active at multiple FAA-designated UAS test sites. 

21 May 2025

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Drones in Action: Farming Crop Pest Solutions

Drones in Action End User Stories:

A British farm suffered major yield loss after flea beetles damaged its oilseed rape crop. Replanting by tractor risked soil compaction and further damage.

AutoSpray Systems used drones to double the seeding rate with no tread damage or Scope 1 CO₂ emissions, boosting efficiency and protecting healthy plants.

See more below

Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full

The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.

Read more about AutoSpray Systems

Read more about Drones in Agriculture

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Airspace Link Launches the Operations Center in AirHub® Portal to Deliver Complete Situational Awareness for Drone Operations

Airspace Link announces the official launch of the Operations Center in its flagship product AirHub® Portal. At the core of the Operations Center is its open platform architecture, which integrates with a range of airspace awareness data sources, including crewed aircraft ADS-B detection systems from industry leader uAvionix.

Airspace Link, a leading FAA-approved UAS (Drone) Service Supplier of B4UFLY and LAANC, today announced the official launch of the Operations Center in its flagship product AirHub® Portal. Designed to give organizations real-time operational oversight, the Operations Center enables strategic insight, situational awareness, and live tracking of drone and crewed aircraft activity — all in one powerful system.

“The Operations Center transforms AirHub® Portal into a true command center for organizations managing drone operations at scale,” said Tyler Dicks, Head of Product at Airspace Link. “From public safety teams and federal agencies to state and local governments and commercial enterprises, we’re helping a wide range of users gain the operational clarity they need to deliver safer, smarter, and more coordinated drone operations.”

With the new Operate tab activated in AirHub® Portal, users can visualize:

  • Active and planned drone operations for the day
  • Live crewed aircraft traffic and uncrewed drone activity, with supporting sensor partner integration
  • Current weather conditions across mission areas
  • B4UFLY airspace briefings
  • [Coming Soon] Real-time telemetry from user organizations’ own connected drone flights

Airspace Link’s new Operations Center in AirHub® Portal delivers a single-pane-of-glass solution for organizations that require coordinated, real-time airspace oversight. Built for flight operations managers, public safety agencies, airfield managers, and state and local authorities, the Operations Center offers a unified, interactive map display that provides a complete common operational picture of all active and planned missions, ensuring safer, more informed, and more efficient decision-making.

Also designed to meet the needs of IT leaders and security professionals, the Operations Center includes robust post-mission analytics, audit trails, and automatic reporting to support regulatory compliance, internal governance, and continuous operational improvement. Critically, Airspace Link safeguards its technology with enterprise-grade security and privacy protocols, backed by SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications — ensuring sensitive operational data is protected by industry-leading standards and rigorous best practices.

At the core of the Operations Center is its open platform architecture, which integrates with a range of airspace awareness data sources, including crewed aircraft ADS-B detection systems from industry leader uAvionix.

“We’re proud to partner with Airspace Link in delivering high integrity live aircraft traffic data for the Operations Center,” said Cyriel Kronenburg, Vice President for UAS and Aviation Networks from uAvionix, Airspace Link’s trusted sensor partner. “This integration ensures organizations have access to a high quality and accurate view of their surrounding airspace on a single pane of glass — a critical component for safe and effective drone operations.”

Now available for AirHub® Portal organization accounts, the Operations Center joins Airspace Link’s full suite of capabilities – from preflight planning and LAANC authorization to internal operation approvals, crew and asset management, and flight logging. Together, these tools form a comprehensive Drone Operations Management System (DOMS) purpose-built for the needs of modern, connected drone programs.

“Whether you’re overseeing a city-wide drone program or scaling enterprise operations, the Operations Center delivers the situational awareness and accountability today’s teams demand,” Dicks added. “It’s about empowering diverse stakeholders with the tools to operate smarter, safer, and with total confidence.”

As both an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier of LAANC and B4UFLY, and a provider of advanced drone operations software, Airspace Link offers one of the only fully integrated Drone Operations Management Systems in the market, eliminating the need to manage multiple systems or vendors.

See It Live at XPONENTIAL 2025

Airspace Link will be exhibiting at XPONENTIAL 2025 in Houston. Visit us at Booth #4320 for a live demonstration of the Operations Center and to explore how AirHub® Portal can elevate your organization’s drone operations.

15 May 2025

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CAA: CAP722L – UAS Operations in UK Airspace – Specific Category Modification Policy

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has introduced CAP722L, a new policy document providing essential guidance for UAS operators in the Specific Category who intend to modify their operations. Released on 15 May 2025, this policy helps operators determine whether a proposed change constitutes a “significant change” under UAS.SPEC.030(2) of Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2019/947, thereby requiring an updated Operational Authorisation (OA)

CAP 722L outlines a structured process for assessing operational modifications, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. To assist in this evaluation, the CAA has also published the UAS Modification Assessment Checklist, which operators can use alongside CAP 722L to systematically assess the significance of their proposed changes.

This initiative is part of the CAA’s broader effort to support the safe and efficient integration of UAS into UK airspace, providing clarity and flexibility for operators while maintaining high safety standards.

Read more:

15 May 2025

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New Future of Flight Competitions Now Open

Accelerating Zero-Emission Aviation in the UK: Innovate UK, in collaboration with the Department for Transport (DfT), has launched two groundbreaking funding competitions to support the next generation of aviation technology in the UK. These initiatives are part of the wider Future of Flight programme, aimed at making zero-emission air travel and advanced drone services a commercial reality.

£600,000 Future Flight Regional Demonstrator

This competition is designed to back projects that demonstrate the large-scale potential of innovative flight technologies—including drones, eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing), and zero-emission CTOLs (conventional take-off and landing)—in real-world UK settings. The goal is to attract investment and deliver real benefits to local communities.
👉 Click here for competition details

£3 Million Future Flight Strategic Growth Competition

With a focus on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, this competition supports collaborative projects driving the UK towards routine commercial drone usage. Successful proposals will contribute to safer skies and establish the UK as a leader in drone innovation.
👉 Click here for competition details

Both competitions close on 11 June 2025, and form part of the UK Government’s £20 million commitment to support future flight technologies, announced on 1 April 2025 by the Aviation Minister.

Upcoming Online Briefings – 19 May 2025

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend free briefing events and learn more about each competition:

  • Future Flight Strategic Growth:
    🕚 11:00–12:00
    🔗 Join via Zoom
  • Future Flight Regional Demonstrator:
    🕞 15:30–16:30
    🔗 Join via Zoom

Now’s the time to shape the skies of tomorrow—apply today!

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ARPAS-UK welcomes the CAA’s recommendations as per CAP3105, but with two key areas of concern. Significant growth in the Open Category expected if implemented.

15 May 2025 – The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published on 8 May 2025 CAP3105, setting out its recommendations to the Department for Transport (DfT) following the 2023 consultation on the UK UAS Regulation Review (CAP2610). 

These recommendations are significant as they clarify the regulatory framework for the Open Category once the transition period ends on 1 January 2026. This comes at a time when the UK Government is aiming to simplify regulations to support growth—where safely possible—and as the industry benefits from two to three years of operational experience across Europe. 

CAP3105 summary & Implications for the UK Drone Industry

ARPAS-UK welcomes the intent to simplify and expand operations in the Open Category. Overall, the recommendations are proportionate and aligned with fostering sustainable growth. 

The proposed expansion of the Open Category represents a significant opportunity for industry growth. At present, the A1 and A2 subcategories offer limited practical value due to their restrictive operational criteria. By introducing class marking, which provides a level of assurance regarding a UAS’s robustness and safety, these constraints can be meaningfully eased.

However, we highlight two areas of concern that we believe warrant further discussion with industry stakeholders:

  • The adequacy of remote pilot training, particularly in A1 and A2 subcategories
  • Unaddressed issues related to Remote ID raised during the 2023 consultation

If implemented as outlined in CAP3105, we anticipate that many current PDRA01 holders operating in the Specific Category may find the revised A1 and A2 framework a simpler and more efficient regulatory pathway for routine operations. This shift would reduce administrative burdens, increase operational flexibility, and enable more agile commercial drone services within the Open Category.

UK Class Marking would begin as soon as January 2026, initially using EU Class Marking, then transitioning to UK Class Marking only from Jan 2028

The CAA recommends the formal introduction of UK-specific class markings: UK0, UK1, UK2, etc. These will serve as the national standard for identifying UAS that meet defined design and performance requirements. The CAA would play its new role as the UK Market Surveillance Authority, and validate UK Class marking.

  • Transition Period: From 1 January 2026 to 1 January 2028, drones marked with EITHER EU class labels (C0, C1, C2, etc.) OR UK-marked drones would be seamlessly accepted within the UK Open Category. 
  • From 1 January 2028, only UK-class marked drones will be permitted in the Open Category.

The CAA may diverge from EASA Class Marking over time, but in absence of major divergence, EU class marked drones should be reviewed swiftly by the CAA and receive UKx class marking.

Clarification of Open Category Subcategories labels to ‘Over people’ (A1), ‘Near people’ (A2), and ‘Far from people’ (A3)

To enhance clarity for UAS operators—particularly newcomers—CAP3105 introduces more intuitive labels for Open Category subcategories:

  • A1: “Over People” — Will allow overflight using EU1/UK1 drones weighing <900g. This is a notable expansion from the current 500g threshold and will include a broader range of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) drones.
  • A2: “Near People” — Will allow operation within 30m of uninvolved people, reduced to 5m with low-speed mode activated, using EU2/UK2 drones <4kg. The current 2kg limit and lack of proximity flexibility have made A2 operations impractical in many urban environments. The new criteria mark a substantial improvement.
  • A3: “Far from People” — Minimum distance from individual buildings is reduced from 150m to 50m, facilitating operations in less densely populated areas.

>>> Area of Concern 1: Training adequacy

During the 2023 consultation, concerns around remote pilot training were not widely prioritised. We welcome the ability to fly over uninvolved people in A1 with a <900g drone, but is the FlyerID online training still adequate? Similarly, is the current A2 CoC training – which can be completed with a one-day online course – still adequate training when flying 5m away from uninvolved people with a 4kg drone? The A2CoC certificate is valid for 5 years. Does a five-year validation period still reflect best practice, given the pace of technological and regulatory change? 

While we acknowledge there have been few/no? reported incidents in Europe, this major change is an opportunity to further improve education and enhance professionalism in the open category.

>>> Area of Concern 2: Remote ID — Unresolved Issues

Remote ID is the ability of a UAS to communicate identification and location information during flight. Remote ID will make it possible to differentiate between legitimate UAS operators and those misusing UAS, enabling more effective enforcement and deterrence.

CAP3105 recommends implementing Remote Identification (Remote ID) for drones in the Open Category. The preferred model is Hybrid RID, combining direct broadcast and network-based identification via mobile networks. However, since Network RID is not yet available and/or costly, the interim solution is Direct Remote ID.

ARPAS-UK agrees that Remote ID is essential for law enforcement and public trust. Yet, we remain concerned that CAP3105 does not address issues we raised during the 2023 consultation, including:

  • Funding: Will the Home Office support the infrastructure rollout?
  • Data Access: Who will have access to RID information? We stress that this should be limited to authorised enforcement agencies, and compliant with GDPR.
  • Just Culture: It must be clear how RID data will be used, ensuring it does not undermine the principles of fairness and trust within the aviation community.

Direct RID is known to be easily circumvented, raising questions about its effectiveness. Still, we agree that the industry must take initial steps toward responsible and enforceable UAS operations, especially as one incident can compromise the community’s livelihood. 

We will seek return of experience from the USA and Europe on the matter, and seek further dialogue with key stakeholders on this issue, to understand the response to our concerns.

Introduction of Geoawareness

CAP3105 recommends the introduction of geoawareness as part of Class Marking

  • From 1st January 2026, geo-awareness will be implemented only for UK1, UK2 and UK3 UAS
  • From 1st January 2028, geo-awareness will also be required for UK0 UAS with cameras weighing 100g or more.
  • The geo-awareness requirements for UK5 and UK6 UAS will continue to be optional. 
  • UK4 UAS, legacy UAS and privately built UAS will remain out of scope.

As this functionality is already present in most COTS drones with EU class marking, ARPAS-UK had expressed its support in 2023 for its introduction.

Visual Distinction in Night Operations

Strobes used for night flying should be reconsidered to ensure they are visually distinct from those used on crewed aircraft. Recent incidents in New Jersey and New York highlight the risk of confusion, where drones were mistaken for crewed aircraft. Using different colours or patterns could help prevent such misidentification and improve situational awareness for all airspace users.

CAP3105 legislative process – What happens next?

The Department for Transport (DfT) will now consider whether to adopt the CAA’s proposed changes. Should the DfT decide to proceed, the necessary amendments to existing regulations will be enacted via a statutory instrument.

It is important to note that the timeline for this legislative process remains uncertain, as it will depend on the DfT’s internal priorities and the broader government legislative agenda. 

About ARPAS-UK

ARPAS-UK is a Non-Profit Trade Association founded in 2013, empowering the UK drone Industry. Our objective is to accelerate the safe and professional adoption of drones across all industries, unlocking transformative for the economy and wider society. 

We engage with a broad range of stakeholders with a fair and balanced approach, we foster a collaborative approach across the ecosystem. We advocate respect, inclusiveness and politeness in exchanges, and request professionalism within its membership through compliance with an agreed Code of Conduct. 

More Regulation related webposts:

15 May 2025

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Drone Related Jobs as at 13 May 2025

Disclaimer: All jobs posted here are from LinkedIn and other job sites including member and non-member organizations. Drone related jobs

CAA

The CAA are looking to recruit several roles, amongst others:

Lincolnshire Police are recruiting for a Deputy Chief Drone Pilot.

View Role

Tekever

Tekever is looking to recruit several roles

Texo

Texo is looking to recruit a Drone Pilot in Scotland.

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Skyports Drone Services

Skyports Drone Services are looking to recruit a Specialist Drone Pilot.

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HVN Labs is looking to recruit a Drone Pilot.

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Clogworks

Clogworks are looking to recruit a UAV Technician.

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View Other Drone Related Jobs

13 May 2025

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Drones in Action: Wind Turbine Inspections

Drones in Action End User Stories:

Traditional wind turbine inspections involve technicians physically climbing turbines to check for damage, a method that is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and risky, particularly in harsh weather. This process typically covers only 2-5 turbines per day and may result in incomplete inspections due to limited access to certain blade areas.

Drone inspections reduce costs by 25% and can cover 10-12 turbines per day, whilst also keeping personnel on the ground, removing risk associated with working at height.

See more below

Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full

The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.

Learn more about ROAVR | Group

Learn more about Airborne Robotics

Read more about Drones in Energy, Utility & Infrastructure Inspection