Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has authorised Xplorate to operate its remotely piloted aircraft 500km-plus beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in the Queensland region. 

The unprecedented approval for Australia gives Xplorate one of the longest specific onshore BVLOS approvals globally, up from 330km granted late last year. The firm uses RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) technologies produced by SwissDrones to conduct its operations, although the system is aircraft agnostic. 

Ronnie Fahy, CEO, Xplorate said: “This approval means Xplorate has one of the longest specific onshore BVLOS approvals, globally.  We are truly leading the world in the operation of unmanned aerial intelligence.

“We now have even greater flexibility to fly at additional altitudes and in more focused areas throughout regional Queensland, enabling us to provide even better data for our clients which will allow them to make more accurate decisions when it comes to maintaining their assets.”

Xlporate is a market leader in delivering high resolution data capture for infrastructure inspections. With each regulatory approval, its ability to provide services expands, reducing the risk to human life. “While providing tailored data on their assets so they can undertake measures such as asset integrity reviews, leak detection, security breaches and methane reduction,” said Fahy.

“Xplorate’s latest approval shows we are on track to become a global market leader in unmanned aerial intelligence solutions – delivering inspection missions, search and rescue and aerial surveillance beyond line of sight.”

But this is just phase one of Fahy’s vision for the company, he told us. “We are processing approvals pan Australia in areas of National Interest. We are clearly hitching our wagon to industries and regions which are of national interest to Australia which will assist in reduction of the cost of living and improvement of emergency services.”