Regulatory breakthrough allows Percepto drones to fly BVLOS without onsite observers

The Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) says it will allow drone-in-a-box solutions provider Percepto to operate its drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) at three industrial sites in the country, including one which is owned by national water company Mekorot.

What this groundbreaking approval by the CAAI essentially means is that Percepto’s Israeli customers can now use their drones from a remote location without BVLOS-certified observers on the site. This designation was originally created for operators of military drones with criteria so rigorous that it would become extremely challenging to obtain.

However, Percepto has done a great job at proving the safety of its Autonomous Inspection and Monitoring (AIM) system, which was recently acclaimed by TIME magazine in its list of “100 Best Inventions of 2021.” As the Israeli company explains:

This field-proven software for industrial sites, combined with Percepto’s market-leading autonomous drone-in-a box, offers an end-to-end solution that automatically deploys Percepto drones to help minimize hazards, reduce downtime, boost efficiency, and lower operational costs.

Percepto’s new BVLOS status comes with the establishment of an advanced framework, requiring the company to appoint a trained “System Operator.” This designation, Percepto stresses, is much faster and easier to achieve compared to the standard Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) classification.

So, ideally, Percepto’s customers in Israel should now be able to implement automated drone programs within a matter of weeks compared to months.

Percepto cofounder and CEO, Dor Abuhasira, who is also a member of the FAA’s BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), hopes that the new BVLOS standard set by Percepto and CAAI would encourage other countries to follow suit.

Currently, BVLOS drone operations in the US are governed by a complex and confusing array of waivers and exemptions from current flight rules, coupled with location-specific FAA reviews and operating approvals. This process has proven extraordinarily burdensome for both the FAA and drone operators. This is why many in the drone industry are urging the FAA to implement the suggestions of the BVLOS ARC which published its final report earlier this month.

Read more: Percepto autonomous inspection drones approved to fly BVLOS in Australia