Volatus Aerospace and Iris Automation Partner on BVLOS Flight Solutions

Volatus Aerospace Partners with Iris Automation to provide clients with BVLOS solutions.

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Volatus Aerospace has entered into a partnership with commercial drone safety innovator, Iris Automation, to offer Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone solutions to clients around the world seeking to safely unlock the skies above cities and solve logistics challenges in remote and rural areas.

A leading provider of integrated drone solutions, Volatus is well versed in BVLOS flight training and waivered operations. Volatus provides clients with enhanced training, including BVLOS regulations, detection and tracking methods, sensors, communication and geographical and topographical impacts to mission. Risk analysis and mitigation strategies are an essential component of the Volatus SORA preparation training. Following the theory portion of training, Volatus provides “in-field” exercises, in which clients work first hand with experienced BVLOS pilots and perform practical exercises covering flight principles, functionality, and controllability in a BVLOS environment.

The program makes use of aircraft equipped with Iris Automation’s Casia detect-and-avoid (DAA) system, which utilizes a perception engine in order to visually detect other aircraft and make smart decisions about the potential threat they may pose to the drone. It then works seamlessly to trigger automated maneuvers to avoid collisions, as well as notifying the pilot in command of the mission. Casia is currently the only solution available for commercial drones and unpiloted aircraft delivering a full 360° radial detection capability using computer vision technology.

“Iris is a clear leader in this nascent industry preparing to take the right steps into Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations,” said Volatus CEO Glen Lynch. “This partnership enhances Volatus’ ability to expand across global markets and support a broader range of customer missions by enabling clients to obtain complex operational approvals and certifications.”

“The team at Volatus is committed to bridging the gap to true BVLOS operations and is uniquely addressing the regulatory, training and technology requirements necessary to ensure safety and reliability,” said Lori DeMatteis, VP of sales and marketing at Iris Automation. “We’re excited to partner with Volatus to accelerate the safe integration of crewed and uncrewed aircraft into airspaces around the globe.”

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.