Amazon Prime Air on Thursday said it obtained FAA approval for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations, which refer to flights that cannot be directly observed by a human pilot. The company said its new permissions will allow it to immediately expand the delivery area for its MK-27 drone in College Station, Texas, one of two U.S. locations in which it began flying in 2022. Its other service, in Lockeford, California, was shut down in April.

As things stand, BVLOS authorization is considered the king of drone delivery approvals.

In lieu of a final rule on BVLOS flights—which the FAA has been developing for years but has not yet published—the agency awards temporary waivers to individual companies on a case-by-case basis. Some exemptions, called summary grants, allow a firm to piggyback off an approval given to another company if their technologies and business models are sufficiently aligned.

For those without BVLOS waivers, drone delivery areas are often limited to just a few square miles and require human observers, which can put a strain on operations.

Amazon said Prime Air engineers developed a BVLOS strategy that includes an onboard detect-and-avoid (DAA) system, which allows the company’s drones to autonomously dodge planes, helicopters, balloons, and other obstacles.

It shared with the FAA information about the system’s design, operation, and maintenance and conducted flight demonstrations in front of agency inspectors. After observing the technology in action and poring over test data, the regulator issued the approval.

Now, in lieu of human observers, remote drone pilots will oversee the aircraft while Prime Air DAA performs most of the work.

Amazon, which already dominates same- and next-day ground delivery, hopes to deliver 500 million packages per year by drone before the end of the decade. However, the company has been reluctant to provide delivery figures since it came out last year that its Lockeford service had completed just 100 deliveries after several months of availability.

This new exemption could change things. Prime Air in 2020 obtained an FAA Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, making it one of only five drone delivery companies to have obtained that approval. But a BVLOS waiver may allow it to truly compete with rivals such as Wing and Zipline, both of which received such permissions last year.

The company will start by ramping up in College Station. Later this year, it expects to begin deploying drones from hubs next to its same-day delivery site in Tolleson, Arizona, which is slated to be its next launch market. The idea is to be able to fulfill, sort, and deliver from a single location, strategically positioned to be as close to as many customers as possible.

Connections to nearby Amazon fulfillment centers will allow it to offer millions of items for same-day drone delivery, the company says. It has over 100 such facilities spread across the U.S. and more than 175 globally.

Next up for Prime Air will be adding further U.S. locations in 2025. The company is also planning an international expansion to the U.K. and Italy, where its drones will deliver from those larger fulfillment centers. It said it is working with regulators in both countries to introduce the service as soon as late 2024.

Simultaneously, Prime Air continues to hone the design of its new MK-30 drone, which will eventually replace the MK-27 in the U.S. and be the first Amazon drone flown in the U.K. and Italy. According to Amazon, it can fly twice as far as the company’s current model while emitting half as much perceived noise.

Prime Air’s chief competitor is Alphabet drone delivery subsidiary Wing, which as of May has completed more than 350,000 deliveries worldwide—including in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in partnership with Walmart and Walgreens.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Amazon Prime Air Secures Key FAA Drone Delivery Approval appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The approval covers commercial BVLOS flights of AATI’s fixed-wing AiRanger drone in San Joaquin Valley, California. AiRanger will conduct pipeline surveillance and inspections on behalf of AATI partner Chevron Pipe Line Company (CPL), a subsidiary of oil and gas titan Chevron, which has helped develop the aircraft since 2019.

BVLOS is considered by many to be the pinnacle of drone regulations.

Under FAA rules, commercial drones must be flown within view of a human observer, which typically limits UAS service range and increases operational costs. In lieu of a final BVLOS regulation, which is still being developed, the agency awards waivers or exemptions for such operations on a case-by-case basis.

Most major drone operators, including Zipline and Wing, possess such approvals. AATI, though, says its exemption is the first for a UAS with AiRanger’s specifications.

The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 220 pounds and can fly for up to 12 hours, with a range of about 750 sm (652 nm) and top altitude of 12,000 feet msl. It is intended to fly in civil airspace. AATI’s FAA waiver authorizes operations over a 4,350 square mile area at up to 8,000 feet msl.

“The uncrewed AiRanger eliminates the risk to flight crews on traditional patrol aircraft while producing 35 times less CO2,” said David Yoel, founder and CEO of AATI. “It is also capable of patrolling at 30 times the rate of BVLOS [small UAS] operating under 400 [feet].”

AiRanger is 10 feet long with an 18.2-foot wingspan and 75-pound payload, including fuel. The drone runs on a gasoline engine, typically cruising at 50 to 75 knots. 

AATI partner Iridium—which provides AiRanger’s detect and avoid (DAA) and command and control (C2) capabilities via satellite connectivity—says the aircraft “is the first UAS to demonstrate compliance with industry consensus standards for the DAA system and meet FAA requirements for aircraft right of way BVLOS operations.”

According to CPL, the manufacturer conducted DAA demonstrations for the FAA and completed agency-observed testing that validated the system could stand in for human observers. A waiver for AiRanger followed shortly after, it says.

The UAS will initially be deployed for critical infrastructure patrol, threat detection, and reporting, according to AATI, first with CPL and primarily within the oil and gas sector. It can be configured for a range of applications and carry several different pieces of equipment at once, such as remote sensing, surveillance, and particulate sensors.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Drone Manufacturer AATI Claims First-of-Its-Kind FAA Approval appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The drone delivery and logistics company announced Thursday that the regulator has approved it for flight beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator, making it one of a handful of companies with a BVLOS waiver for medical deliveries.

“Securing BVLOS approval is a testament to our dedication to safety and innovation,” said DroneUp CEO Tom Walker. “We have some significant technologies coming out of stealth this year, which when combined with BVLOS, will unlock commercial scalability that the industry and our customers have been eagerly awaiting.”

For safety reasons, the FAA requires drone flights to be visually monitored by the operator. However, the agency occasionally awards waivers that enable BVLOS flights with certain restrictions, such as visual observers (VOs) stationed along the route. 

A handful of firms—including another medical drone delivery company, Zipline—advanced past that stage in September, receiving FAA approval to remove VOs as well. DroneUp’s Part 107 waiver requires one or more VOs to monitor for other aircraft in the airspace within 2 sm of the drone. But they won’t need to maintain a visual on the drone itself.

“Our ability to fly BVLOS propels us into the next level of using drone technology, undoubtedly enhancing the efficiency of medical deliveries, ensuring that crucial supplies reach healthcare facilities and patients promptly,” said John Vernon, chief technology officer of DroneUp.

DroneUp said its waiver allows it to immediately begin flying BVLOS for Riverside Health System, a customer with facilities spread throughout Virginia. According to the company, the approval will also clear a path for BVLOS deployments across the country with new and existing customers.

Two other Walmart drone delivery partners—Zipline and Wing, the drone delivery arm of Google parent Alphabet—have similarly expanded their BVLOS permissions as the massive retailer scales its network.

Wing is one of the first drone delivery firms to leverage what the FAA calls a summary grant. Essentially, these are streamlined authorizations for “copycat” companies with similar infrastructure, aircraft, and technology to those who have already been approved. Wing, for example, piggybacked off of Zipline’s BVLOS waiver.

Zipline, UPS Flight Forward, Phoenix Air Unmanned, and uAvionix were the four firms in the FAA’s initial cohort of BVLOS recipients named last year. The agency carefully selected each company in order to open summary grants to a variety of industries. Zipline’s waiver, for example, provides a framework for BVLOS medical drone delivery, while UPS Flight Forward’s does the same for parcel drone delivery.

DroneUp—like Zipline, Wing, and other waiver recipients—says its approval could substantially reduce operational costs by cutting down on required human resources. The authorization could also expand the firm’s operations: Humans will no longer be required to visually observe its drones, creating the potential for longer routes.

Waivers such as DroneUp’s will help the FAA learn more about BVLOS operations as the regulator works to develop a final BVLOS rule. So far, the agency has convened a committee of industry stakeholders and studied its final recommendations. But there is still no firm timeline for an official set of industrywide BVLOS regulations.

In lieu of a final rule, expect the FAA to continue issuing BVLOS waivers and summary grants, which will give certain communities a glimpse of what drone delivery may look like at scale. DroneUp and Walmart currently fly out of 36 hubs in seven states, so perhaps yours will be next.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post DroneUp Latest Firm Approved to Fly Drones Beyond Line of Sight appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Zipline on Monday announced plans to significantly expand a medical drone delivery initiative within the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) in collaboration with Apian—which, interestingly, partnered with Wing in August. The program will roll out in fall 2024.

“Today, 3,000-pound gas vehicles driven by humans are used to deliver 3-pound packages billions of times per year,” said Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, CEO and co-founder of Zipline. “It’s expensive, slow, and bad for the environment. This decision means that the NHS can start to transition delivery to solutions that are 10 times as fast, less expensive, and zero emission. This service will be delivered at a fraction of the cost of the existing solution and will help drive financial savings to the NHS in the longer term.”

Meanwhile, Wing, a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, announced last week that the FAA approved it for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations without visual observers (VOs), or humans who are stationed below the flight path to keep an eye on the drones. Coincidentally, the approval is a summary grant based on BVLOS exemptions the regulator awarded in September to four firms—including, you guessed it, Zipline.

Zipline Expands to the UK

As of mid-December, Zipline drones have made more than 850,000 deliveries. The company says it completes a trip every 70 seconds. Zipline got its start operating in sub-Saharan Africa before expanding to the U.S. and Japan, picking up customers such as Walmart, Pfizer, and Cleveland Clinic. But it hasn’t yet reached the U.K.

The firm hopes to change that by working with the NHS, Europe’s largest employer, and Apian, a healthcare logistics provider co-founded by a team of former NHS doctors. Apian’s flagship product is an automated, on-demand delivery system that will allow Zipline to easily fulfill orders placed by the NHS.

The new service will provide on-demand drone delivery of prescriptions, wound care, and other medical products to more than 30 hospitals, general practitioners, and care homes across the region.

“I’ve seen firsthand the impact that running out of supplies can have on patient health outcomes,” said Dr. Christopher Law, medical director and co-founder of Apian. “Healthcare should benefit from on-demand delivery, much like consumers now do in their personal lives. Delivering critical products with drones, where and when they’re most needed, will improve supply chain efficiency and give doctors, nurses, and clinicians more time to focus on the most important thing—their patients.”

Zipline will build a hub for the service near the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Northumberland, England. From there, its autonomous, fixed-wing drones—or Zips, as the company refers to them—will travel up to 130 sm (113 nm) round trip in most weather conditions, floating packages gently to the ground using parachutes.

The Zips use technologies, such as artificial intelligence and an acoustic detect and avoid (DAA) system, to navigate around tall buildings or other aircraft. Each is equipped with redundant safety systems and supervised by trained personnel, who can track flights and intervene when needed.

Zipline intends to centralize inventory of the NHS’ most frequently ordered products: prescription medicines, wound care products, and joint replacement implants, to name a few. These will be flown to Hexham General Hospital, Wansbeck General Hospital, Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital, and other regional health facilities, within minutes of receiving an order.

Eventually, the partners expect to deliver to “significantly more” health facilities. According to Zipline, the service should help providers move away from last-minute logistics to reduce the number of canceled procedures, which could reduce wait times. It’s expected to launch next year with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

“This expansion with Zipline and Apian is an exciting next step as we strive to improve services for the hundreds of thousands of patients we serve,” said James Mackey, CEO of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. “We believe this innovative technology could be used to improve healthcare outcomes, save money, and eliminate supply chain complexities, and we’re keen to get started.”

Wing—which primarily delivers items such as food, wellness products, and household essentials—is working with Apian to add its own drones to U.K. medical logistics networks. The two plan to deliver pharmacy items, lab samples, and medical devices and supplies in South Dublin, Ireland, as early as this year.

However, the Alphabet subsidiary remains heavily focused on the U.S. market.

Wing Sheds Operational Restrictions

As Zipline adds a previously announced Wing partner, Wing is leveraging a previously announced Zipline approval to bolster its own operations.

The company on Friday said the FAA approved its DAA tech for BVLOS operations without VOs, allowing its drones to use ADS-B instead. The new permissions extend to the airspace above Dallas, where Wing serves customers within a 6-mile radius out of a Walmart Supercenter in the suburb of Frisco.

The firm said the exemption will allow it to remove VOs across Dallas and similar airspace around other major U.S. cities. Following Zipline’s landmark flight last month, Wing will be one of the first drone delivery providers to fly unencumbered by VOs.

“Overall, the FAA’s approval for DAA and recognition of broader strategic deconfliction and [uncrewed traffic management] applications will allow us to operate more efficiently and work toward scaled operations nationwide,” Wing wrote in a blog post. “Starting with communities across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, this action supports our path toward expanding our service across the U.S.”

Wing’s approval is a summary grant, which is essentially a streamlined authorization for a “copycat” company with similar infrastructure, aircraft, and technology to those who have already been approved. In lieu of a final rule on BVLOS operations, the FAA expects to use summary grants to enable early services without overbearing restrictions. Amazon Prime Air, for example, is another recipient.

It’s unclear which of the initial approvals Wing piggybacked off of to obtain its new permissions. But of the four firms to receive exemptions, Zipline’s is the most similar—it too was permitted to replace VOs with its DAA system in a few key markets.

“Our holistic approach to BVLOS flight has been used for commercial deliveries on three continents for several years,” Wing said in its blog post. “It is grounded in avoiding potential conflict before flights ever take off and utilizes in-flight DAA to add an additional layer of safety. Wing has demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of this approach with operational flight data, extensive simulation, and flight test.”

While not as flashy as an international expansion, the removal of VOs could be a big deal for Wing. Without the need to station humans on the ground, the company could greatly expand its delivery range while lowering operational costs. It’s one of the few paths to scale available to industry players, who are just beginning to turn visions of drone-filled skies into reality.

The updates from Wing and Zipline may also have implications for smaller industry players and startups. Having each made several hundred thousand deliveries, the two firms already have a leg up on the competition. Now, the rich are getting richer—and lesser known rivals may need to do even more to catch up.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Drone Delivery Firms Zipline, Wing Prepare to Ramp Up Service appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The agency on Wednesday approved drone parcel delivery operator and UPS subsidiary Flight Forward and avionics provider uAvionix for UAS operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of a remote pilot, opening the door to longer flights, new markets, and fewer restrictions on ground personnel. The authorizations follow the FAA’s granting of similar permissions to drone inspection provider Phoenix Air Unmanned (PAU) in August.

Flight Forward, uAvionix, PAU, and a fourth firm, medical drone delivery provider Zipline, initially requested BVLOS exemptions earlier this year. Their applications were published in the Federal Register for comment in May, drawing feedback from industry trade associations, aviation groups, and even rival companies. Zipline’s approval is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, the FAA told FLYING.

“The FAA is focused on developing standard rules to make BVLOS operations routine, scalable and economically viable,” the agency said in its announcement. “The agency chartered the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee on June 9, 2021, to provide safety recommendations to the FAA. We are reviewing their final report. The FAA’s long-term goal is to safely integrate drones into the National Airspace System rather than set aside separate airspace exclusively for drones.”

With the new authorizations, the FAA hopes to collect data that will inform its proposed rule on UAS BVLOS operations, also published in the Federal Register in May along with the four exemption requests. 

The agency also told FLYING companies that can recreate the approved firms’ operational conditions will now be able to obtain BVLOS approvals more quickly. It said it selected the four companies because each sought BVLOS waivers for different use cases: parcel delivery (Flight Forward), medical delivery (Zipline), inspections (PAU), and flight systems development (uAvionix).

Each use case opens a path to exemptions for companies with similar operations, allowing them to use the waivers as models for their own operations. For example, a company looking to deliver small packages might build around Flight Forward’s business.

“Our goal is to work towards summary grants as we continue towards rulemaking,” said David Boulter, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety, at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Summary grants are essentially streamlined authorizations for “copycat” companies with similar infrastructure, aircraft, and technology to those who have already been approved.

What’s in the Approvals?

Flight Forward’s exemption authorizes the firm to conduct BVLOS small parcel deliveries using drone manufacturer Matternet’s M2 UAS. In lieu of visual observers—ground personnel stationed along the flight path to maintain a line of sight with the drone during flight—the company will now deploy remote operation centers across its network, using them to facilitate deliveries from tens or even hundreds of miles away.

The FAA revised some of Flight Forward’s requests relating to minimum safe altitudes, VFR visibility requirements, and pilot-in-command qualifications. But the company’s application was largely accepted as submitted.

The same can be said of uAvionix, which has now been approved to test its detect-and-avoid technology on a custom UAS flying BVLOS. The UAS, called Rapace, has a maximum takeoff weight of 26.5 pounds and was granted a special airworthiness certificate—experimental class (SAC-EC) by the FAA. It includes in-house avionics, command-and-control radios, autopilot systems, and positioning sensors from uAvionix.

The company will fly Rapace within the Vantis Network, North Dakota’s statewide UAS BVLOS program, with partners such as Thales to help its customers better understand BVLOS operations and waivers.

“The concept here is that the program team works out the ‘recipe’ for BVLOS exemptions, which are repeatable by other operators in the future,” Christian Ramsey, managing director of uAvionix, told FLYING in May. “In the end, this exemption isn’t about our operations…It’s about trailblazing and developing an infrastructure that others can use to achieve their own operational and business goals.”

UAvionix will need a Letter of Authorization from the FAA to conduct operations that rely on UAS traffic management (UTM) or third-party service providers. Otherwise, its requests were largely approved with minor conditions and limitations.

Similarly, PAU has been authorized to fly the SwissDrones SDO 50 V2 unmanned helicopter for BVLOS aerial photography, surveying, and powerline and pipeline patrol and inspection. Operations are permitted below 400 feet above certain roads and in sparsely populated areas beneath preplanned flight paths.

The approval builds on the company’s Part 107 waiver, issued in March, for BVLOS operations with aircraft under 55 pounds. That permission did not cover the SVO 50 V2, which weighs about 190 pounds. Like Flight Forward and uAvionix, PAU’s requests were largely approved with some restrictions.

Zipline’s request is under review, but the firm is expected to join its fellow applicants in the coming weeks. It seeks to replace visual observers with its patented acoustic detect-and-avoid system (DAA) and other onboard systems—unlike Flight Forward, it would eliminate the use of ground personnel almost entirely.

The authorizations are clearly a welcome development for Flight Forward, uAvionix, and PAU. But not everyone supported them. A few industry groups repeatedly popped up in the comments to oppose the approvals, namely the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), and drone connectivity solutions provider ElSight. They worried BVLOS flights could pose hazards to low-altitude manned aircraft.

The FAA, however, countered that the approvals are in the public interest. They will allow the agency to gather information on BVLOS operations as it works toward a final rule that will ultimately shape the UAS industry for years—and potentially decades—to come.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post FAA Approves Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations for 3 UAS Firms appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The deadline for the release of the FAA document—the notice of proposed rulemaking—that sets in motion the much-needed update to aircraft certification processes and guidance was set last year around this time for August 2023. As recently as a few weeks ago, colleagues in the industry agreed that it wasn’t likely that we’d see the NPRM for the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) before Oshkosh. The hangars and flightline at EAA AirVenture would be filled with folks speculating on whether the FAA would make its target or let another one pass.

Who could blame them, in a way? It’s a big task to overhaul the regulatory basis by which we define light sport aircraft and others in the limited category.

But word got out on Wednesday that the FAA had released a preview to the ASTM committee, F37, on LSA, publicly available in the Federal Register ahead of the planned NPRM publication.

All 318 pages of it.

I’ve never been so excited to curl up with an FAA document in my life. When I cracked it open, I went straight to the point where the meat of the proposal began. And, yes, within this document, indeed, the FAA proposes to amend rules “for the manufacture, certification, operation, maintenance, and alteration of light sport category aircraft.”

We’ll get into more of the nuances as we dissect the NPRM as a team, but I needed to get a sense of what gems lay within.

The first thing I had to know? The weight limit.

The Weight Limit?

As in, what are they doing with the artificial—and seemingly arbitrary, though it was ostensibly based on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ultralight category of 600 kilograms—weight limit of 1,320 pounds for light sport airplanes?

In a fit of common sense—that would be just one of many I’d find last night as I read into the late hours—the proposal gets rid of that intensely limiting parameter:

“Consistent with the FAA’s analysis of the safe operations accomplished under those exemptions, this proposal would eliminate the weight limits for light-sport category aircraft…[and] eliminating weight limits for light-sport category aircraft would provide manufacturers opportunities to:

• Incorporate additional safety-enhancing designs and equipment,

• Design airframes that are more rugged for the flight-training environment,

• Increase fuel load and aircraft range,

• Allow for greater cabin size to enable greater occupant heights and

weights,

• Improve aircraft handling in gusts, turbulence, and crosswinds, and

• Increase the suitability of light-sport category aircraft for other intended

operating purposes, including recreation, personal travel, and certain aerial

work.”

Instead, aircraft will be limited by V_S1 (more on this in a moment), which will produce, according to the NPRM, an upper limit of around 3,000 pounds max gross weight. Whew. That’s a huge change. When Cessna was developing the Skycatcher 162 for the LSA and training market, so many decisions were made that were real compromises because of that 1,320-pound rule. My kingdom to have had that limit taken away…

One other immediate benefit to the change? This will allow for a four-seat aircraft to qualify, according to further verbiage in the doc. A pilot exercising sport privileges will only be able to take one passenger along, just like today, but those operating with higher certificate levels can utilize the aircraft to the max.

Stall Speed Updated?

Next up for revision, the maximum stall speed. To me, stall speed was always the best way to define the category because of all of the natural parameters a given stall speed would impose on the design. Put simply, an airplane that stalls at a lower indicated airspeed also lands at a slower speed and thus is easier for most pilots to manage. 

The NPRM recognizes this in clear argument, and puts forth 54 kcas as the target upper limit for airplanes, expanding this by a modest 9 knots from the previous 45 kcas set in the current LSA definition. 

What the increase does, however, is recognize the large body of heavier airplanes that otherwise fit the mission and prove easily managed by student pilots during flight training, such as the Piper PA-28 series.

What About Max Speed?

Stall speed naturally limits maximum speed in level flight (defined as V_H in the LSA guidance), so the NPRM proposes to remove the max V_H of 120 kcas under standard conditions and instead leave a natural upper parameter of around 250 kcas. Another “wow” moment. You mean we can go twice as fast? This alone will unlock a ton of potential from currently limited SLSA in the U.S. that are certificated under EASA CS 23 with faster cruise speeds.

And the list goes on. Restrictions on controllable-pitch props, retractable landing gear, and power sources for engines would be removed under the NPRM’s language. Expansion into IFR ops becomes a path for manufacturers to pursue. Sport pilot privileges for helicopters becomes reality. So. Many. Things.

What’s Next?

Publication of the document should occur on Monday, just in time for everyone at Oshkosh to get together and talk about it. I recommend you set aside time to study the preview (and the NPRM when published)—or you can follow along as our team dives into the specifics.

James Newberger, Aircraft Certification Service  (AIR-632) in Washington, D.C., holds point on comments. Prepare yours thoughtfully.

I’m already working on mine.

The post What This MOSAIC Preview Means appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The RA-6000 dual-install and RA-5000 single-install digital TERRAIN models were certified as of August 8 to meet the performance standards required for airborne low-range radar altimeters.

Tuesday’s announcement comes in the wake of the launch by wireless carriers in January of this year to begin broadcasting in the 5G-C band to improve speeds of cellular networks. That launch triggered a scramble by the FAA and the telecommunications industry to find a solution to eliminate interference caused by 5G signals to aircraft avionics. Among the compromises established were limiting the power of the wireless transmissions and the creation of transmission-free buffer zones around busier airports.

• READ MORE: Airlines Work To Minimize 5G Challenges

Wireless carriers began discussing the use of the 5G-C band to improve network speed as far back as 2017. Broadcasting in this band near airports can disrupt radar altimeters aboard aircraft. Data supplied by radar altimeters gives pilots information about the aircraft altitude above terrain, and supplies information for several other systems aboard sophisticated aircraft used by airlines. If the information is suspect because of signal interference, especially in poor visibility, the aircraft cannot land.

“In 2019, foreseeing the interference to radar altimeters from C Band 5G telecommunications, we launched an innovative, clean-sheet radar altimeter design to provide protection from signal interference,” said Anthony Rios, president of FreeFlight Systems in a news release. “We are proud to have achieved TSO certification, which allows us to better serve our industry with a modernized, rugged, and flexible radar altimeter solution that currently does not exist in the market.”

• READ MORE: Lawmakers, Aviation Community Look for Answers During House Hearing on 5G

Since October 2021, FreeFlight Systems has been completing major certification milestones, including successful flight and alternative method of compliance (AMOC) testing, while working toward receiving TSO certification.

According to FreeFlight Systems, the TERRAIN series radar altimeters are designed for all segments of aviation including general aviation, commercial transport, business aircraft, military, rotorcraft, and remote-pilot designs. The units enable the aircraft to operate safely, even in close proximity to 5G cellular towers.

The TERRAIN series’ altitude measurement range of up to 2,500 feet agl and 55,000 feet msl service ceiling comes in a small footprint design that can easily be installed in place of legacy radar altimeters from various manufacturers. To further support a wide range of aircraft platforms, the TERRAIN series incorporates the latest ethernet connectivity standards for new platforms while retaining an analog ARINC 552 interface for integration with legacy indicators and components. With existing installations in mind, the RA-5500 and RA-6500 simplify retrofit installations by supporting existing antennas, control heads, and cabling as needed. For additional display options, FreeFlight Systems offers the RAD45 standalone indicator which meets EASA AMC1 SPA.NVIS.110(b) guidelines.

“We have a considerable backlog of orders from operators and OEMs, particularly the advanced air mobility segment,” noted Rios. “Now having the TSO certification, we are ready to begin product shipments. This is good timing considering the accelerating deployment of 5G networks across the country which continues to challenge flight safety.”

The post 5G-Mitigating FreeFlight Radar Altimeters Gain Approval appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The deal—a combination of $445 million cash and $410 million debt—is one of the largest M&A deals in the aerospace sector this year. The deal should close in the second quarter of 2022 pending regulatory approval.

Falko was founded in 2011 with funding from Fortress Investment Group that purchased BAE Systems Asset Management (LON: BA) and its associated aircraft portfolio. 

Up until the sale to Chorus, Falko managed a $3 billion portfolio of approximately 320 modern regional jet and turboprop aircraft, on lease to leading airlines worldwide, combined with a growing engine leasing and trading business.  

Chorus will also receive Falko’s asset management platform and Fortress Investment Group’s equity interests in 126 owned and managed regional aircraft. Once combined, Chorus will have 353 owned, operated, and managed regional aircraft, with as many as 32 airline customers in 23 countries, including Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL), and British Airways (OTCMKTS: ICAGY).

Chorus Aviation describes itself as a global provider of integrated regional aviation solutions. The parent company also operates Chorus Aviation Capital—another leasing division—Jazz Aviation and Voyageur Aviation. Chorus also offers services that include aircraft refurbishment, component maintenance, modification, contract flying, parts provisioning, and more.

In a statement, Joe Randell, president, and chief executive officer of Chorus, called the deal “transformative” and inferred the deal would allow the company to be closer to achieving its goal to become a full-service provider in regional aviation.

Brookfield Joins Deal

Related to the deal, Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM), one of the largest asset management companies worldwide, agreed to invest $374 million in Chorus, including $300 million of preferred equity and $74 million of common equity, for a 12.5 percent stake in Chorus and other investor rights that it can choose to exercise. 

BAM will immediately exercise one right to add two directors to Chorus’ board, nominating David Levenson and Frank Yu, a managing partner, and investor at Brookfield, respectively.

In the same statement, Randell welcomed the infusion of capital from Brookfield and explained how his company plans to leverage the partnership.

“We are extremely pleased to have Brookfield, a well-respected company with global reach, as our strategic cornerstone investor, bringing extensive experience in asset management, fundraising, and capital markets,” Randell said. “The equity investment is an important endorsement of our strategy.”

Jeremy Barnes, CEO of Falko, pointed to various factors that made the deal attractive.

“The size and scale of the newly combined entity broadens and enhances market opportunities,” Barnes said in a statement. “Growth through this established asset management platform meaningfully changes Chorus’s risk profile in terms of debt levels, residual value asset risk, and enhanced earnings stability and diversity.”

The post Chorus Aviation Acquires Falko Regional Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.