US On the Verge of BVLOS Drone Delivery
Photo credit: Nordic Unmanned
Wider access to Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations is one of the major benchmarks for commercial drone delivery to scale. In some countries BVLOS missions are commonplace, but here in the US, regulatory constraints limit these operations. While trials have seen drones deliver medical supplies, disaster aid, and some residential parcel deliveries, BVLOS allowances need to take a giant step forward for commercial UAS delivery to scale in the US.
So, let’s look at the current state of BVLOS operations here and around the world, and discuss what to expect for BVLOS missions in 2023.
Can You Fly BVLOS and is it Safe?
FAA regulations require pilots to maintain line of sight contact with their UAV by either the pilot directly, or a team of visual observers along the drone’s planned route. To extend missions beyond the pilot’s view is considered Beyond Visual Line of Sight (or BVLOS) operations, which require Part 135 certification from the FAA.
A Part 135 certification is a difficult one to secure, which has effectively limited BVLOS operations. April 2019, Google’s drone delivery arm, Wing, became the first drone operator authorized under Part 135. According to Associate Press reporting, as of July 2022, the FAA had only approved 230 Part 135 certification.
The FAA is obviously erring on the side of caution, but delivery drone trials in the US have proven to be extremely safe and reliable. According to the FAA, “there have been zero fatalities and only one serious injury attributable to these operations.” So, we can empirically say that BVLOS flights can be conducted safely. One could argue an overly-cautious approach is limiting UAS delivery and its economic and environmental advantages.
Where Can You Fly BVLOS?
While the US mulls amending its BVLOS regulations, commercial drone delivery around the world has been underway for several years. In 2017, 25 countries were experimenting with BVLOS allowances. Since then, other countries have rapidly expanded BVLOS missions. Some examples include:
Japan – With delivery drivers limited following the global pandemic, Japan relaxed its BVLOS regulations for operating over residential areas looking for the cargo drone to take some of the burden off ground logistics.
Europe – The European Union has allowed some drone service providers to self-approve many BVLOS operations over unpopulated areas. A2Z Drone Delivery customer Nordic Unmanned was the first to secure an EASA LUC (Light UAS Operator Certificate) to conduct offshore logistics ferrying spare parts and samples between offshore energy installations.
Photo credit: Nordic Unmanned
China – BVLOS missions in China have been ongoing for years. Commercial drones have been navigating fixed routes dropping payloads at designated warehouses and landing pads. In rural areas, residents routinely receive food and medical deliveries via drone.
BVLOS Drone Delivery Coming to the US in 2023
To date, US proof-of-concept trials were done while maintaining visual line of sight. Requiring commercial operations, which have proven to be safe and reliable, to continue to use visual observers limits the scope and reach of those deliveries. For UAS delivery to take scale operationally, the FAA needs to amend current regulations, especially those around BVLOS operations. For its part, though, the FAA recognizes the need to advance drone delivery here in the US, and is planning to act soon.
In its March 2022 report, the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee noted, “the question we should be asking ourselves today is not, ‘is this the right time for BVLOS,’ but rather ‘is time, technology and public benefit passing us by because we have not facilitated safe and secure BVLOS operations?’”
At a recent panel discussion in early January, Abigail Smith, deputy executive director at the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office noted the FAA will propose new regulations in 2023 to support greater drone use, including drone delivery, but always with safety as the foremost concern as regulations are eased.
A2Z Drone Delivery is Prepared for BVLOS Operations
Anticipating BVLOS operations in the US soon, A2Z Drone Delivery is actively pushing the boundaries of automated delivery with our drone winch right now. Our Rapid Delivery System already allows Part 107 pilots to maintain direct line of sight with their delivery UAV by completing deliveries from altitude.
Some of the additional capabilities we have developed for our recently-launched RDST off-the-shelve commercial delivery drone include:
Automated mission planning and one-touch delivery execution
Extended range UAV platforms reaching up to a 9-mile round trip
The highest payload capacity of any tethered delivery system on the market (10 kg/22 pounds)
The flexibility to delivery any box, not just proprietary cargo boxes
A patent-pending auto-release mechanism to deposit payloads without the need for a human receiver
All signs point to the United States being on the verge of BVLOS drone delivery very soon. With delivery technology well ahead of the regulatory curve, we can expect commercial UAS delivery to advance rapidly as regulations evolve to enable this industry to scale.