Remote drone inspections from miles away: MFE to demo Skydio X10 and Dock across the U.S. under new FAA authorization
by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNab
Edmonton-based MFE Inspection Solutions, a leading provider of advanced inspection tools, has been granted a broad BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) waiver by the FAA to operate the Skydio X10 and Dock for X10. Skydio’s Regulatory Services team secured the waiver in partnership with MFE.
MFE’s new waiver allows MFE pilots to fly drone inspections BVLOS all across the U.S., even from several states away. MFE plans to use the waiver to conduct demonstrations of remote drone operations with Skydio’s drone technology at client locations around the country.
“We’re excited to offer our clients immersive, real-world demonstrations of remote drone ops that will showcase the power of the Skydio X10 when paired with its Dock to make a full drone-in-the-box solution,” said Cody Menchaca, sUAS Product Line Manager at MFE Inspection Solutions. “This BVLOS waiver will let us do demos that reflect actual operational conditions, giving clients a firsthand experience of the power of autonomous drones for monitoring and visual inspections at their own facilities.”
The complex application process was only possible with the help of Skydio’s regulatory experts. Through close collaboration with the FAA, Skydio ensured MFE’s waiver contained the specific requirements it needed to leverage the full potential of the X10 and its Dock for remote operations.
“Skydio is dedicated to helping partners like MFE conduct advanced drone operations,” said Daniel Jenkins, Regulatory Program Manager at Skydio. “This waiver will allow MFE to demonstrate the unique capabilities of Skydio’s autonomous drone technology, helping industries better understand the potential for remote operations to support them in collecting the data they need, with greater precision and efficiency. The Skydio Dock for X10 with BVLOS approval is a force multiplier for inspections and continuous monitoring.”
The demonstrations MFE will conduct with the waiver will be fully remote. To do these demonstrations, MFE will ship a Dock and X10 to a client, instruct them on setup, then fly the inspection mission remotely from its Houston office.
According to the press release, MFE hopes that clients will be able to see the full value a remote command center can provide, either from a different part of the worksite or from Houston, when gathering crucial thermal and geodesic data.
The BVLOS waiver is an important milestone for MFE as it continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with cutting-edge inspection technology, including drones. Looking ahead, the waiver positions MFE to lead the way for drone inspections as the FAA prepares to launch its Part 108 rule for BVLOS missions, which promises to streamline BVLOS drone operations for the industry.
More information on MFE’s waiver and their plans for the future is available here.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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