In November 2023, the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department of Finney County, located in the state of Kansas, acquired the AgEagle eBee X drone with the Aeria X camera to elevate its mapping capabilities and address the county’s extensive geographical challenges.
Operating under FAA Part 107 regulations, the eBee X is currently the only drone in the United States authorized to fly over people (OOP) and moving vehicles (OOMV) without requiring a waiver. This unique approval gives the department more flexibility compared to other drones, which require extra permissions.
“Our main objective in purchasing the eBee X was to enhance our ability to map large areas more efficiently”, explains Tom Marchant, a GIS technician at Finney County. With a population of 37,650 and an expansive area of 3,375 km², Finney County presents significant mapping challenges that require advanced tools.
The eBee X drone can cover up to 1,235 acres (500 hectares) in one flight with a single battery, making it perfect for the department’s big project of mapping the entire city.
Among the seven camera options available for the eBee X, the department chose the Aeria X, a 24 MP RGB camera for precision mapping. “The resolution and clarity of the images it captures are phenomenal,” Marchant adds.
“Since our first flight in December 2023 we have been very impressed with the eBee X durability, endurance, and its ability to fly inconspicuously. When the drone is cruising through the air it looks like a natural bird and the noise pollution is next to none,” says Marchant.
The GIS Department supports many county and city services, such as public works, appraisals, communications, and utilities. Since they started using the eBee X, the department has completed several important projects that show the drone’s versatility:
“With the eBee X we can fly further, longer, and faster. This provides us with the opportunity to take on the mammoth project of mapping our entire city,” explains Marchant. “We estimate that, with favorable wind conditions and lighting, we can complete the city mapping with the eBee X drone in 14 days by maintaining visual line of sight and flying in quarter-mile sections.”
When this project is completed, it will provide big benefits for property appraisals, parcel mapping, and public access to maps. The standard flight settings include flying at 365 feet above takeoff (ATO), with a 70% overlap in an interlaced flight pattern at 0.90 inches (2.2 cm) per pixel. This ensures the highest quality and accuracy for the maps.
Musk thistle, an invasive plant found across North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, grows rapidly, posing threats to ecosystems, livestock, and crop productivity. It can reach heights of up to 7 ft (2 m).
Bobby Valentine, an experienced drone expert and the founder of Valentine Brand, was recently approached by a farmer in the United States to remove musk thistle from its land.
Instead of using traditional methods like spraying the entire area, Valentine proposed a comprehensive drone workflow for targeted spraying utilizing aerial imagery.
This method he employs helps farmers save chemicals, prevent land degradation caused by vehicles, and optimize crop yield by eradicating the invasive plant, particularly in areas inaccessible to farmers.
Valentine conducted an aerial survey using the eBee X drone, equipped with the dual-camera Duet M, to capture high-resolution RGB and multispectral imagery simultaneously in a single flight.
It took him 1 hour to gather data for the 100-acre land (40 hectares), following the flight plan he had previously set up on eMotion, the eBee software.
Valentine flew the fixed-wing drone at 180 ft / 55 m altitude for this mission, as lower altitudes provide more detailed results. The data collection went smoothly, confirming the reliability of the eBee X for Valentine’s projects.
Valentine spent a couple of hours processing the data collected with the eBee X using PIX4Dfields.
He created multispectral and orthomosaic 2D maps, which offered detailed representations of the surveyed areas. In this case, the orthomosaic proved most beneficial, allowing him to easily identify the locations of the musk thistle.
Next, he employed the PIX4Dfields Magic Tool to accurately locate the invasive plant. The tool segmented the orthomosaic of the surveyed land into grids.
After, he manually identified the cells containing musk thistle infestations. Those encircled in blue indicate the presence of the invasive plant, while those encircled in yellow signify unaffected areas.
Powered by a machine learning algorithm, the PIX4D Magic Tool learned from the selected cells and automatically detected and marked (in square blue) cells with invasive plant presence, accelerating Valentine’s identification of problem areas.
He then verified the accuracy of the areas automatically marked by the Magic Tool, making corrections using the delete brush tool where necessary.
Furthermore, he delineated boundaries (in pink) for the land and, if applicable, for trees or other obstacles, to guide herbicide application. This ensured that only affected areas received treatment, with the boundaries serving as geofences for the sprayer drone.
The entire process consumed approximately 4 hours.
Following Bobby’s manual and automated process with the PIX4Dfields Magic Tool, the software generated a highly accurate and customized spray plan for the land based on the identified infestation pattern. He then exported this compatible file and integrated it into the DJI Agras drone flight software.
The areas shaded in purple-gray indicate where spraying will occur. Additionally, the tool specifies the number of acres represented by these areas, allowing him to prepare the necessary amount of pesticide for the mission.
After finalizing the spot-spray map, Bobby exported the data to a compatible file format supported by the DJI Agras sprayer drone.
The integration between PIX4D and the DJI Agras drone sprayer enables the smooth implementation of the treatment plan, with the sprayer drone autonomously applying herbicides precisely to the identified areas.
Depending on factors such as weather conditions, the type of chemical used, and the application rate, spraying 100 acres typically takes around 2.5 hours, achieving an average rate of approximately 40 acres per hour, especially on fairly flat topography.
In this case, precise spraying has been postponed due to weather conditions.
Nonetheless, previous clients of Valentine consistently express high satisfaction with this service, as it has enabled them to save money, time, and chemicals while minimizing land damage.
In summary, Bobby’s use of the eBee X drone equipped with the Duet M dual camera and PIX4D software showcases a data-driven approach to targeted control of invasive plants in precision agriculture.
By combining drone technology, data analytics, and targeted spraying techniques, Bobby not only demonstrates the potential to revolutionize agricultural practices but also highlights their role in enhancing environmental preservation and boosting agricultural productivity.
In 2023, GeoAcuity collaborated on a project at Exposition Park in Los Angeles.
Their goal was to create a 3D model of the complex to improve safety training for public officials and evaluate potential risks.
Exposition Park spans 160 acres / 65 hectares and features iconic stadiums, four world-class museums including the California Science Center, various entertainment venues, and the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Thus, the mission involved drone flyovers over populated areas in the second-most populous city in the United States.
To accomplish this, the team selected the AgEagle eBee X drone, specifically for its approval for Operations Over People in the United States without requiring a waiver, and its capacity to cover large areas during 90-minute flights while capturing high-resolution imagery with the S.O.D.A 3D camera. Additionally, the team employed two rotary-wing drones to complement the data collected by our fixed-wing UAS.
By merging data from all three drones, including the eBee X, the team generated a comprehensive 3D model of the entire campus with a 1 inch / 3 cm GSD. This highly detailed dataset, often referred to as a “digital twin,” now serves as a crucial tool for public safety officials, facilitating thorough vulnerability assessments and enhancing safety training protocols.
On September 2023, Tsarevo, a coastal municipality in Bulgaria, was hit by catastrophic flash floods, resulting in four fatalities. The municipality declared a state of disaster.
Numerous buildings were submerged, several bridges collapsed, and water levels in some areas reached up to 2 meters. The disaster required fast and safe solutions, as access to the affected areas was perilous due to the severe devastation.
In response to the disaster, the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water commissioned Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski’s Center for Geospatial Research and Technology to conduct rapid mapping of the flood-affected region. The primary objective was to enhance the efficiency of recovery efforts.
The mapping scope encompassed two riverbeds and the path of destruction caused by heavy rainfall. The university’s team deployed two eBee X drones, each equipped with RGB cameras, specifically S.O.D.A., for an RTK multi-drone mission.
Vladislav Trenkin, from the mapping team “We chose the eBee X because of its ability to provide extremely detailed and precise data and cover vast territories in a very short time”
Vladislav Trenkin, from the mapping team
This allowed for the creation of 2D orthomosaics and 3D elevation models across the affected areas during two simultaneous drone flights, which took around 50 minutes. The subsequent image processing using Pix4D for the entire area was completed in just 4 hours.
The entire operation, including travel from Sofia to Tsarevo of the team, data processing, and publication, was accomplished within a single day, thanks to the use of the eBee drones.
The 2D and 3D models of Tsarevo, created using data from the eBee X mapping drones, are proving invaluable to the expert commission overseeing post-flood activities. The first action taken after the authorities received the processed data was to locate two submerged cars.
In general, these models are aiding in assessing the overall condition of the flood-affected region, including damage assessments and the extent of affected areas.
This high-detail, large-scale mapping, conducted in a remarkably short time frame following the flooding, was a pioneering achievement. Government and municipal authorities were astonished by the results. The dataset is publicly available for use on the Ministry of Environment’s website.
The Bulgarian government reports that the situation in Tsarevo is gradually returning to normal.
Explore the dataset of this use case here.
Dan Shugar, an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary in Canada, along with his team, is employing the eBee X fixed-wing drone to conduct detailed monitoring of the Salmon Glacier, known for its significant potential as a natural hazard.
Shugar’s team aims to investigate the impact of climate change on the glacier and its associated consequences, including glacier retreat and river piracy, which have implications for ecosystems, communities, and infrastructure.
Additionally, they are estimating potential rises in river and sea levels due to glacier melting. This information is crucial for assessing future flood risks.
The team captures high-resolution images of both the glacier (the area adjacent to Summit Lake) and the lake itself, using the eBee X’s Duet M RGB and multispectral camera. They have chosen it for its ability to produce different outputs in the same flight, such as Digital Terrain Models (DTM) or NIR ratio indexes, which are highly useful in glacier mapping to study automated glacier facies and su-praglacier debris.
For the University of Calgary’s team, the eBee X drone was the ideal choice due to its ability to cover larger areas and its RTK capabilities. “Lots of projects I have in mind are not suitable for placing ground control, so the ability to use a base station and transmit corrections was ideal,” Shugar states.
The researchers have a terrestrial LiDAR system that could complement the drone data in the future. However, the UAS remains the best solution regarding the team’s safety, as access to the glacier can be dangerous.
The invaluable data collected with the eBee X provides critical insights into these dynamic natural systems, offering a clearer understanding of the magnitude of climate change. Moreover, it aids in developing strategies for environmental preservation and mitigating future destructive hazards.
In April 2021, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a rule allowing drone Operations Over People (OOP) and Moving Vehicles (OOMV). With the new rule, approved UAS don’t need a waiver to conduct these operations.
AgEagle’s eBee X series drones are the first and only UAVs to date approved by the FAA for OOP and OOMV in the United States under the new rule.
In this guide, AgEagle’s Head of Regulation, Pierre-Alain Marchand, explains the current U.S. regulations for flying over people and over moving vehicles.
The U.S. rule Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Over People is divided into four categories that determine the eligibility and operational conditions under which it is permitted to fly certified drones over people and over moving vehicles:
Eligibility
Fly over people (OOP)
Fly over moving vehicles (OOMV)
Drone example
Currently, AgEagle’s eBee X series drones are the first and only approved sUAS by the FAA for Operations Over People (OOP) and Moving Vehicles (OOMV) in the United States. Moreover, they are Remote ID approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Other professional drones, such as Wingtra, Quantum-Systems, or the DJI M300 RTK drone are not eligible for OOP and OOMV until a change in their design is made (for example, adding a parachute).
Note, however, that adding a parachute increases the weight and hence decreases the flight time. Moreover, parachute mitigation can fail, while mitigation on drone design doesn’t.
Waivers are granted case-by-case for a specific drone, flight location, mission, and more unalterable parameters. If something in the mission changes, a new waiver is needed.
With the new rule, once the aircraft and its potential risk of injury are assessed according to an FAA-accepted method (MOC) and get the OOP approval, the complex waiver process is no longer necessary.
Getting a waiver is still technically possible. However, the number of approved waivers in the U.S. for OOP (107.39) was low in 2022 – only 19, mostly for delivery drones – and it’s expected to continue decreasing in 2023.
Waivers already issued and still in the process are valid. Nevertheless, the renewal procedure can be complex now that a new rule is in place and that the FAA has shown a clear preference for OOP certified drones.
Moreover, with a waiver, flights over people are generally limited to sparsely populated areas.
To be an OOMV and OOP approved drone, the aircraft must undergo thorough testing to demonstrate operational safety around people.
The only approved drones to fly over people in the U.S. are the eBee X series sUAS. The assessment was done by Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (VT MAAP), and it consisted of:
If you want more details about the testing regime, read VT MAAP’s article.
Pilots that would like to fly over people in the United States must have the following:
Drone pilots are responsible for checking outside conditions when planning a mission. The airspace is shared with other aircraft, and the ground has restricted zones, such as prisons or airports, which prohibit flyovers.
In eMotion, the flight planning software for eBee drones, U.S. geo-zones are integrated, making it easier to plan your mission.
For air traffic awareness, the eBee X Ping USB accessory is an ADS-B device that allows the operator to view live air traffic data directly within eMotion.
Purchasing a drone that matches your operational needs while bearing in mind U.S. drone regulation compliance can greatly simplify your operations. We strongly recommend that you check:
For more information about the U.S. or other drone regulations, contact us directly at regulatory@ageagle.com
OOP – Drone Operations Over People
OOMV – Drone Operations Over Moving Vehicles
BVLOS – Flights Beyond Visual Line of Sight
sUAS – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Synonyms: UAS, UAV, drone.
FAA – Federal Aviation Administration of the United States. The agency regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country.
Remote ID – UAS remote identification. A drone with Remote ID built-in and approved by the FAA, like the eBee X, provides identification and location information during the flight. This electronic license plate ensures public safety and reduces security risks by notifying other aircraft of the UAV’s identity, position and altitude. All drone pilots are required to fly Remote ID-compliant drones from September 2023.
Waiver – Official document issued by the FAA which approves certain aircraft operations. You may request to fly specific drone operations not allowed under Part 107 or when the drone is not OOP certified by requesting an operational waiver.
Part 107 – The FAA Part 107 is the regulations for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in the U.S. In order to fly your drone under the sUAS Rule (Part 107), you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA.
MOC – Means of Compliance. Testing method to prove operational drone safety around people. The FAA must approve the MOC. The method evaluation process includes drone failure mode and safety defect assessment, impact and laceration testing, and more.
DOC – Declaration of Compliance. Form submitted to the FAA page where the manufacturer declares that the drone complies with the MOC. Besides the form, the manufacturer must submit the testing report (received by the testing center) and the user manual for OOP. The DOC is necessary for final OOP drone approval.
Geo-zone – Information on the geographical zones that a drone can fly over. Generally excluded geo-zones are prisons, airports and other national security key points.
ADS-B – Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast technology. Live air traffic device.
DISCLAIMER
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc provides this information for informational purposes only. The texts, graphics, images, and references don’t constitute legal advice. While we try to keep the information timely and accurate, we make no guarantees. AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. is not liable for the actions taken based on this document’s information.
TABLE OF CONTENT
On 1 January 2021, the European Commission harmonized civil drone regulations across the following countries: European Union’s 27-Member States + Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (process ongoing), and United Kingdom (partially).
The regulations require all operators of drones above 250 g to register with their country’s National Aviation Authority (NAA). This can be where the operator lives or at their principal place of business. This registration is valid for the period defined by the NAA.
Once registered, the operator receives a registration number that must be displayed on all its drones and uploaded onto the remote identification system. This number is recognized in all European Union member states.
In this blog post, you’ll find detailed information on current European drone regulations.
The European regulatory framework (2019/945 and 2019/947) takes an operation risk-based approach, which considers the drone’s weight, technical and safety specifications and the type of operation being conducted.
There are three categories of drone operations in the EU regulations:
Certified Category
Specific Category
Open Category (including transitional Limited Open Category)
The Open Category for low-risk operations is composed of:
Both are for UAS under 25 kg and have the following operational limitations: max. flight altitude 120 m AGL and visual line of sight (VLOS) flights.
Operations in the Open Category do not require authorization from a National Aviation Authority (NAA) because they are considered low risk.
To give drone manufacturers time to certify their drones for the Open Category, a Limited Open Category transition period is in effect until December 2023.
This Limited Open Category is composed of three subcategories based on the drone’s maximum take-off weight including payload (MTOW):
A1 subcategory – For drones below 500 g MTOW
A2 subcategory – For drones below 2 kg MTOW – eBee X series
A3 subcategory – Drones between 2 kg and 25 kg MTOW – WingtraOne GEN II VTOL, Quantum Trinity F90+ eVTOL and DJI Matrice 300 RTK
The drone entries this category once assessed by a Notified Body and granted with one of the class identifications C0, C1, C2, C3, C4. The higher the class number, the greater the operational limitations. The drone manufacturer is responsible for certifying the drones.
The Open Category is subdivided into:
COMPARISON: C2-A2 vs C3-A3
The most common class identifications for professional drones are C2 and C3, operating in Open Category A2 and A3.
C2 class drone flying in subcategory A2 – e.g. eBee X series
C3 class drone flying in subcategory A3 – e.g. WingtraOne GEN II VTOL, Quantum Trinity F90+ eVTOL and DJI Matrice 300 RTK
Only units sold after January 1, 2024, within the European Union require the C label. Drones already on the market before this date can still be operated, albeit with some limitations.
All eBee X, eBee Ag, and eBee Geo drones shipped within Europe by AgEagle since September 2022 include the C2 label to operate in the Open Category, within the A2 subcategory.
For eBee units already on the market before January 1, 2024 (without the C marking), they can still be operated within the A3 subcategory.
We offer customers a special opportunity to upgrade their existing non-C2 eBee drones to C2 and C6 eBee X drones by January 2024, when the Limited Open Category ends. This upgrade will enhance their operations and eliminate limitations associated with the A3 subcategory. Contact us for more information.
Operational advantages of C2 drones:
If your business operations require flying BVLOS, OOP, or near residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas – not accessible to heavy VTOLs and quadcopters – you can now benefit from the regulatory advantages of C2 lightweight drones by upgrading to an eBee fixed-wing UAS.
This category applies to drone operations which pose a level of risk not covered under the Open Category, such as extended visual line of sight operations (EVLOS), beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), operations over people (OOP), or package delivery.
One of four procedures should be followed to operate in this category, for all of which the drone operator is required to obtain a National Aviation Authority (NAA) authorization:
Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA): The suggested method for eBee users, as they benefit from a simplified process thanks to eBee X series drones M2 Ground Risk Class (GCR) mitigation. Drone operators are required to perform a risk appraisal using the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology. This 10-step process defines the risk of the mission, that will be assessed by the NAA. For more info on SORA, read here.
The eBee X series drones are the industry’s first UAVs to receive a Design Verification Report from EASA on the M2 Ground Risk Class (GRC) mitigation, a step in the SORA process to obtain BVLOS and OOP approval.
As a result, eBee X operators benefit from a simplified SORA authorization process by having a lower ground risk score without needing additional verification from EASA.
Predefined Risk Assessment (PDRA): This is an assessment to conduct basic advanced operations (such as EVLOS at 120 m / 150 m) in Europe, with a scenario already covered by one of the EASA published PDRAs. Because the risk of the operation is lower, instead of conducting a full risk assessment, the operator will have to provide some documentation to support the application for NAA authorization.
Standard Scenario (STS): Upcoming January 2024. Analogous to the PDRA, but the drone must have a class marking (C5 or C6). The mission is conducted under a predefined operation published by the EASA. The operator must submit an operation declaration to the NAA where he/she is registered and await confirmation.
The eBee X Series drones – eBee X, eBee TAC Public Safety, eBee Geo and eBee Ag – achieved the C6 class identification label for BVLOS operations within the Standard Scenario STS-02 in October 2023.
The eBee X Series certification allows operators of C6 eBees to conduct BVLOS operations (up to 1 km distance, or 2 km with airspace observers) over a controlled ground area in a sparsely populated environment (STS-02).
Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC): Rare certificate to which only organizations can apply after filling the requirements. It’s mainly for repetitive missions with the same operational characteristics. Organizations with a LUC certificate can self-assess the operation’s risk and self-authorize it under their responsibility.
Operations that fall under the Certified Category are those that are believed to pose the highest risk because they would likely involve the transportation of people or dangerous goods, envisioned for air taxis or cargo drones.
Purchasing a drone that matches your operational needs and with EU drone regulation compliance in mind can simplify your operation processes. We strongly recommend that you check:
For more information about the EU or other drone regulations, contact us directly at regulatory@ageagle.com
eBees are currently the only drones in the market with both C6 and C2 markings, offering significant operational advantages to customers.
Video –
In Europe, new regulations and processes are being established to ensure Flights Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and Operations Over People (OOP) are conducted safely and responsibly. These advanced drone operations are very efficient options for collecting large amounts of data quickly, but they also come with extra safety and logistical considerations.
AgEagle’s Head of Regulation Pierre-Alain Marchand explains in this blog post the main steps to achieve a SORA authorization to conduct BVLOS and OOP missions under the European drone regulations.
Do you prefer to watch it online? European drone regulations – SORA explained
On January 1, 2021, the European Union (EU) started standardizing civil drone regulations across the continent. Prior to this date, drone regulations differed from country to country. By standardizing the rules, the EU aims to make drone operations easier and safer for everyone.
The new rules replace each European Union state’s existing laws and apply to all drone operators. This allows a drone pilot to operate in all the member states, once he or she is registered in one of these countries.
The EU drone regulation is applicable in these 27 European Union member states:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden
Plus: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (ongoing), UK (partial adoption).
The EU drone regulation is divided into three categories, Open, Specific and Certified, each detailing accessibility based on the characteristics of the drone platform in use and type of operation.
Certified Category – designated for higher-risk operations such as the delivery of dangerous goods with a drone.
Specific Category – designated for advanced operations such as flying Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS), Operations Over People (OOP), flying multiple drones in fleet, and more.
Open Category – designated for low-risk operations such as Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) flights under 120 m in altitude.
If your operation can’t be conducted in the Open Category or is not falling under a standard scenario of the Specific Category, you will require approval from your National Aviation Authority (NAA) according to the SORA methodology.
SORA stands for Specific Operations Risk Assessment. It’s a 10-step risk process within the EU Specific Category to define the safety requirements to conduct your OOP and BVLOS operations.
In this article, we will focus on 4 SORA crucial steps:
SORA contains the following table that you can use to determine the ground risk of your operation.
1. Check the characteristics of your drone, such as size and kinetic energy. This will determine which column of the table your operation will fall.
With its size and cruise speed, the eBee X falls into the first column on the left (1 m / approx. 3 ft).
2. Define the operational scenario (BVLOS / VLOS, populated area / sparsely populated / gathering of people, etc.) This will define in which row of the table your operation will fall.
3. The intersection of the column and row will give you your Ground Risk Class value.
Example: Let’s say you want to do a BVLOS operation over a populated area – your initial ground risk would be 5 as seen in the first column.
Your drone platform of choice can provide you with some benefits through Ground Risk mitigation. See below.
It’s possible to reduce the Ground Risk Class with the mitigation M1, M2 and M3.
M1 – is a strategic mitigation put into place by the pilot in command before the operation.
M2 – is based on the drone design, you need to prove that the drone has a low risk in case of collision.
M3 – is dependent on the operator’s emergency response plan.
As an industry-leading manufacturer, we have worked with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to get an M2 mitigation of -1 or -2 (depending on the payload) for eBee X, eBee Geo and eBee Ag drones. Through continued work with EASA, we expect to achieve a higher max flight altitude for -2 in the near future.
The EASA design verification report for M2 mitigation demonstrates that the eBee drones meet the highest possible quality and ground risk safety standards and, thanks to its lightweight design, effects of ground impact are reduced. As such, drone operators conducting advanced drone operations in the 27 European Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland can obtain the HIGH (-2) or MEDIUM (-1) robustness levels of the M2 mitigation without additional verification from EASA.
Example: Going back to our initial Ground Risk of 5, with M2 mitigation, you could reach a Ground Risk as low as 3 for BVLOS operations over a populated area.
The next step in the process is the Air Risk Assessment. You’ll need to determine which Air Risk Class your operation is conducted in:
ARC – a – If you’re operating in restricted airspace (for example, if a NOTAM is in place).ARC – b – If you operate in uncontrolled airspace over a rural area.ARC – c – If you operate in uncontrolled airspace over an urban area.ARC – d – If you operate in controlled airspace.
It’s important to note that for BVLOS operations in ARC categories b, c, or d, you will need a solution to see and avoid air traffic.
Example: A BVLOS operation with the eBee X that will be conducted over an urban area will fall within the ARC – c.
Similar to the Ground Risk, it’s possible to reduce the initial Air Risk to ARC – b (rural) if traffic is lower than expected. For example, because manned aviation is rare at low altitudes above cities.
Next, you’ll determine the SAIL level of your operation based on the Ground Risk Class (GRC) and the Air Risk Class (ARC).
Example: Using our earlier designations of Ground Risk Class 3 and Air Risk of ARC – b, you can see that the SAIL level would be II, which remains easy to achieve.
There are alternative methods to approval, however, they are not as simple.
Without our mitigation, the SAIL level would be IV, making it more difficult because it requires several months of work and an expensive review of the design by the EASA.
With a larger drone and without mitigation the SAIL level would be a V, making it extremely difficult because you will require a full certification of your solution.
Once you have your SAIL level determined, you need to prove that you comply with each Operational Safety Objective (OSO).
A different level of justification is required based on the SAIL of your operation:
O = OptionalL = Low M = MediumH = High
Finally, we’re able to leverage our SAIL II classification to determine the level of operational safety objectives.
Example: Referencing the above chart using our SAIL II classification, OSO 7 states that light inspection of the UAS (product inspection) is required to ensure consistency with the Concept of Operations (ConOps).
You’ll need several documents to request authorization from your National Aviation Authority. We’ve created a comprehensive list of document templates that makes the application process smoother for eBee owners:
ConOps – You’ll need to describe when and where you’ll fly, the procedures, your training and details about the drone you’ll use.
Document templates – To facilitate the process and save you tens of hours of paperwork, we’ve prepared a set of documentation you can adapt for your own SAIL I or SAIL II operation.
Direct contact – For more information or to request document templates, contact us at regulatory@ageagle.com.
There have already been some early adopters of SORA, who have taken advantage of the eBee X M2 mitigation when seeking approvals from their National Aviation Authorities.
Safe Drone Academy is based in Ireland and has been approved for VLOS over populated areas.
Romania-based SysCAD Solutions is approved for BVLOS operations over sparsely populated and populated areas.
Guide – Advanced drone operations: BVLOS, OOP, multi-drone
Video
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. announces that eBee X, eBee Geo and eBee Ag are the first commercial drones to be designated with the C2 class identification label in accordance with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations. As of August 22, 2022, drone operators flying C2 labeled eBees will be able to conduct missions in the “Open Category”, with all the advantages that this entails.
The C2 certification allows the eBee X series, with correct labelling, to fly at a horizontal distance of 30 meters from uninvolved people. By contrast, heavy drones like VTOLs or quadcopters must maintain a distance of 150 meters from people and any residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, limiting their operational capabilities to remote zones.
According to Barrett Mooney, Chairman and CEO of AgEagle, “When compared to the weight and safety profiles of other competitive commercial drones, only the eBee are cleared to fly commercial operations near people with the C2 class identification label. This represents a huge market differential for our customers in Europe, that will be able to operate around populated areas without any formal permission or regulatory waiver”.
In addition, the eBee X series are also the industry’s first drones (June 2022) to receive a Design Verification Report (DVR) from EASA on M2 Ground Risk Mitigation for the European “Specific Category” to conduct BVLOS and Operations Over People (OOP). The DVR paves the way for European drone operators to seek approvals from their applicable National Aviation Authorities.
To be designated as a C2 aircraft, eBees underwent rigorous testing and evaluation by the accredited laboratory NavCert GmbH to confirm that they meet specific EASA criteria. C2 class aircraft must weigh less than 4 kg / 8.8 lbs maximum takeoff weight (MTOM), have remote ID and geo-awareness, and be compliant with the safety and manufacturing standards of the European Union.
Marcel Visser, Managing Director of NavCert GmbH, stated, “We congratulate AgEagle on this important achievement, and we wish them a high market share for the eBee X series drones. We are grateful that NavCert has been selected as the Notified Body (NB 2603) to assess the eBee X series fixed-wing drones for the CE mark. Our background in the aviation industry and the development of the EN 4709 standard has been essential to performing the technical assessments required in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on unmanned aircraft systems. We will continue to ensure the required level of quality and safety for drone operations in the European Union”.
All eBee X, eBee Ag and eBee Geo drones shipped by AgEagle company, from September 2022, will include the C2 label at no extra cost.
For more information contact us at info@ageagle.com
About AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.
Through its three centers of excellence, AgEagle is actively engaged in designing and delivering best-in-class flight hardware, sensors and software that solve important problems for its customers. Founded in 2010, AgEagle was originally formed to pioneer proprietary, professional-grade, fixed-winged drones and aerial imagery-based data collection and analytics solutions for the agriculture industry. Today, AgEagle is a leading provider of full stack drone solutions for customers worldwide in the energy, construction, agriculture, and government verticals. For additional information, please visit our website at www.ageagle.com.
About NavCert GmbH.
NavCert is the first laboratory ever accredited in Europe in the field of GNSS. The firm provides worldwide technical services, verification, validation, and voluntary certification services in the areas of precise positioning, navigation, velocity and timing. NavCert is accredited as certification body for the assessing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (DAkkS) and is a Notified Body (NB 2603) of the German Federal Office of Civil Aeronautics for the EU Type Examination and Certification of fixed-wing, VTOL and multicopter UAS in classes C0 to C6 in the Open Category according to the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945. NavCert chairs the coordination group of notified bodies for UAS. These activities are complemented by GAP analysis of specification and documentation and pre-testing.
As companies continue to place more emphasis on their drone programs to accomplish a wide range of tasks, there’s an increasing need for a single software platform to centralize all the necessary operations.
With the right flight planning software, companies can eliminate the need for multiple apps and quickly and efficiently manage their multi-drone fleets.
When it comes to choosing the flight software for your drone program, there are six important capabilities to consider. Let’s dive into these features to ensure the program you’ve been looking into is the best fit.
When looking at the different flight planning software options, the first step to selecting the right software for your needs is to make sure that the software is compatible with the drone you plan on using to complete your missions. If you are choosing flight planning software for a multi-drone fleet, make sure the software will support all your drones if they are different makes or models. This will eliminate the frustration of having different drones running on different platforms and provides the benefit of simplifying your flight planning operations.
Flight planning software should allow the user to have a centralized platform to complete the required steps of a drone mission without having to jump back and forth between multiple apps. The ideal flight planning software will allow you to create and schedule missions, manage your mission calendar, assign pilots and equipment to missions, send notifications, check airspace and weather conditions as well as create and execute flight plans all in a single platform.
The software should also give the user the ability to fly manual and automated flight plans, including both waypoint and grid flights, and be capable of re-flying specific sections of a grid flight if updated or new data is needed without the user needing to rebuild flight plans or re-fly the entire mission.
By streamlining the entire process, the right flight planning software saves both time and money through increased efficiency and productivity.
Most drone programs will require input from various team members to schedule, plan, and execute each drone mission. A critical requirement for today’s flight planning software is the ability for different team members to be able to access the flight plans independently without the need to share a log-in or link. The advantage of a collaborative environment is it allows team members who may be working in the same office or as far away as a remote job site to quickly and seamlessly work together on a project, increasing the speed of communication and reducing downtime.
With team members working across different devices and different platforms, it’s critical that your flight planning software supports the technical requirements of all users. The right flight planning software should work across both iOS and Android devices as well as both mobile and desktop platforms. The software should also have the ability to sync flight plans seamlessly between devices and platforms, meaning a flight plan can be created and saved on a desktop device and quickly accessed by a mobile team out in the field, increasing efficiencies and eliminating unnecessary delays.
Team members are often out completing missions in remote areas with limited or no access to wifi or a reliable internet connection. When selecting flight planning software, look for one that allows all flight plans to be downloaded and cached on each device, ensuring that the mission can be completed even when there is no internet available. It should also have the ability to store any data collected from completed missions in the flight app until an internet connection is re-established. This gives your drone pilots the ability to complete missions at any time and in any location without having to worry about maintaining a signal.
As land use is constantly changing, being able to access the most up-to-date geographic data is critical. When looking at the different options for flight planning software, having the ability to reference a KML file on both desktop and mobile devices are becoming essential. This benefits drone pilots by giving them the most relevant data to ensure a mission is carried out successfully and without costly errors.
With these capabilities in mind, you can choose the right flight planning software for your organization.
