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Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer. Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. Skydio 3D Tower Capture: Optimized for Vertical Structures.Optelos and Skydio Partner for Autonomous Asset Inspection: Autonomous Drones and Visual Data Management.Skydio Drones for Public Safety: A DRONELIFE Exclusive Interview with Fritz Reber.Skydio Youth Fly Day: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Pilots and Engineers.Skydio and Axon Respond: Drone Live Streams for 911 Operators.We’re excited to see the difference it will make for Dominion and Skydio now, and what it lays the groundwork for in the future.” “This waiver achieves both of those things and is a real win for us in our efforts in the BEYOND program. “Two major goals of the research we conduct as an FAA-designated test site are helping companies like Dominion develop practical ways to use drones to make their operations safer and more efficient, and working with drone companies like Skydio to find opportunities to leverage the real power of their technology to make new kinds of operations possible,” said MAAP director Tombo Jones. MAAP works alongside the FAA, as well as other federal agencies and leading companies, on research and advanced testing to develop innovative new solutions. Leading Virginia’s BEYOND team, MAAP’s work has regularly resulted in industry-leading landmark authorizations and operations. “When it comes to scaling beyond visual line of sight operations, having an intelligent drone makes all the difference and Skydio was proud to support Dominion Energy in obtaining this waiver that enables them to inspect critically important facilities.” “This pivotal approval brings Dominion Energy, Skydio and the entire drone industry one step closer to advanced drone operations at scale,” said Jenn Player, Skydio’s Director of Regulatory Affairs. The USA-made Skydio X2 meets all supply chain and cyber security requirements necessary for inspecting critical infrastructure. Skydio Autonomy allows for safe navigation within any environment, even without GPS, due to its 360° obstacle avoidance. These operations will be carried out using Skydio’s X2 drone, a durable, foldable aircraft utilizing the Skydio Autonomy flight engine. “As a pioneer in beyond visual line of sight drone use, Dominion Energy contributes to a safer, greener future, as well as potentially lowering operations and maintenance costs, which ultimately benefits our customers.” “A 20-minute inspection by a battery-powered drone will increase safety for our colleagues, who will no longer need to rappel down the side of a structure, as well as save time during inspection-related preparations,” said Nate Robie, Dominion Energy’s manager of unmanned systems program. There, the drones will take volumetric measurements and assess construction progress, provide surveying and mapping services, and inspect infrastructure. The waiver will allow Dominion Energy to conduct scaled BVLOS operations to inspect over 40 power facilities throughout Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Skydio’s AI technology provides the pilot with the ability to safely fly in a closer proximity to structures than would be possible with a drone utilizing less advanced technology. The waiver enables operators to fly drones beyond their line of sight without the need of an additional crew member or technology to detect crewed aircraft. Dominion – Energy – Scores – BVLOS – Waiver – For – Skydio – DronesDominion and Skydio secured the waiver through the FAA BEYOND program, as part of the Virginia team led by the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) alongside the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation.

Skydio drone