K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
I've lost track of the number of times I've written about or have read about the critical need to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for commercial purposes. Many have positioned BVLOS operations as the key enabler for commercial applications of the technology because without BVLOS operations, there is no scale. Without scale, then predictions and hype about the billions of dollars that the technology might be worth are just that.
BVLOS drone operations are a technical and regulatory challenge and while changes to rules around the world are easing those regulatory challenges, companies like SKYTRAC are focused on solving the technical ones. The satcom company is committed to using satellite communications to enable BVLOS communications, real-time Command and Control (C2), video streaming, data transmission and more. All of this is possible thanks to their Iridium Certus connectivity services.
As the Director of Business Development, Jeff Sherwood takes this commitment very seriously. By enabling BVLOS operators in industries that range from oil & gas to search & rescue to cargo delivery, operators can fly their UAVs from anywhere in the world thanks to SKYTRAC BVLOS communication solutions. But what does it actually mean for these operators to do so? How simple is it for drone operators to get up and running with one of their BVLOS-enabling products? Sherwood answered these questions and many more.
Jeremiah Karpowicz: SKYTRAC’s initial challenge was to provide aviators with connectivity where none was previously available, so can you tell us a bit about how and when the company identified this need?
Jeff Sherwood: The company was founded in 1986 so we've been around for quite a long time. SKYTRAC was formed by aviation enthusiasts who saw the benefit of equipping aircraft with satellite-based tracking technology. As the technology has evolved we've similarly expanded our capabilities.
In the early 2000s, SKYTRAC began to harness the capabilities of Iridium’s global satellite network to deliver voice and data connectivity services to aircraft operating in a variety of different industries. Over the years, SKYTRAC built upon Iridium’s core technology to develop advanced avionics solutions that increased the safety, communications, and operational efficiency of flight operations around the world. That’s everything from secure voice and data communications between aircraft and air traffic control to monitoring aircraft engine performance to alerting operators of any potential issues. As the aviation industry strives to become safer and prevent disasters such as MH370 and AF447, SKYTRAC has responded by developing a Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) that provides real-time tracking and alerting during all phases of flight.
So that's technology that can essentially ensure someone can know exactly what is happening with an aircraft at all times and in any situation, correct?
Yes, and that sort of tracking is still critical, perhaps more so than ever. MH370 was lost from ATC radar not long after it took off in 2014 and the search for that plane ended up being one of the most expensive in aviation history.
It underscores the challenges of industry adoption because for a very long time, airlines had been relatively slow to procure new technology or procedures into their operations. Generally, the airline industry evolves based on decisions by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the various aviation authorities, such as the FAA and EASA. After the deadly MH370 and AF447 disasters, ICAO and the global airline industry sought to develop a new set of standards and requirements to prevent these accidents from happening.
With that being said, different segments of the aviation industry began to adopt this type of technology at different times. , Helicopter operators flying offshore for the oil and gas industry, air medical services, and a variety of other commercial operations have been using this type of tracking for a long time, really ever since it became available. Those operators have benefited from our global connectivity services, especially since their unique operations are often in environments that do not always support the traditional methods of flight following and voice communications. Over the years, these connectivity services have evolved into taking the “big data” concept to the next level with aircraft and the safety of flight operations.
Continue reading: https://www.commercialuavnews.com/infrastructure/command-and-control-c2-capabilities-from-skytrac-define-what-it-means-to-operate-drones-bvlos-at-scale
BVLOS drone operations are a technical and regulatory challenge and while changes to rules around the world are easing those regulatory challenges, companies like SKYTRAC are focused on solving the technical ones. The satcom company is committed to using satellite communications to enable BVLOS communications, real-time Command and Control (C2), video streaming, data transmission and more. All of this is possible thanks to their Iridium Certus connectivity services.
As the Director of Business Development, Jeff Sherwood takes this commitment very seriously. By enabling BVLOS operators in industries that range from oil & gas to search & rescue to cargo delivery, operators can fly their UAVs from anywhere in the world thanks to SKYTRAC BVLOS communication solutions. But what does it actually mean for these operators to do so? How simple is it for drone operators to get up and running with one of their BVLOS-enabling products? Sherwood answered these questions and many more.
Jeremiah Karpowicz: SKYTRAC’s initial challenge was to provide aviators with connectivity where none was previously available, so can you tell us a bit about how and when the company identified this need?
Jeff Sherwood: The company was founded in 1986 so we've been around for quite a long time. SKYTRAC was formed by aviation enthusiasts who saw the benefit of equipping aircraft with satellite-based tracking technology. As the technology has evolved we've similarly expanded our capabilities.
In the early 2000s, SKYTRAC began to harness the capabilities of Iridium’s global satellite network to deliver voice and data connectivity services to aircraft operating in a variety of different industries. Over the years, SKYTRAC built upon Iridium’s core technology to develop advanced avionics solutions that increased the safety, communications, and operational efficiency of flight operations around the world. That’s everything from secure voice and data communications between aircraft and air traffic control to monitoring aircraft engine performance to alerting operators of any potential issues. As the aviation industry strives to become safer and prevent disasters such as MH370 and AF447, SKYTRAC has responded by developing a Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) that provides real-time tracking and alerting during all phases of flight.
So that's technology that can essentially ensure someone can know exactly what is happening with an aircraft at all times and in any situation, correct?
Yes, and that sort of tracking is still critical, perhaps more so than ever. MH370 was lost from ATC radar not long after it took off in 2014 and the search for that plane ended up being one of the most expensive in aviation history.
It underscores the challenges of industry adoption because for a very long time, airlines had been relatively slow to procure new technology or procedures into their operations. Generally, the airline industry evolves based on decisions by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the various aviation authorities, such as the FAA and EASA. After the deadly MH370 and AF447 disasters, ICAO and the global airline industry sought to develop a new set of standards and requirements to prevent these accidents from happening.
With that being said, different segments of the aviation industry began to adopt this type of technology at different times. , Helicopter operators flying offshore for the oil and gas industry, air medical services, and a variety of other commercial operations have been using this type of tracking for a long time, really ever since it became available. Those operators have benefited from our global connectivity services, especially since their unique operations are often in environments that do not always support the traditional methods of flight following and voice communications. Over the years, these connectivity services have evolved into taking the “big data” concept to the next level with aircraft and the safety of flight operations.
Continue reading: https://www.commercialuavnews.com/infrastructure/command-and-control-c2-capabilities-from-skytrac-define-what-it-means-to-operate-drones-bvlos-at-scale
