The FAA has granted General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS operations that utilize a Ground-based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA) system instead of a chase aircraft, which is more costly and operationally restrictive. 

“Thanks to the support of Senator Hoeven and Grand Forks Air Force Base, GA-ASI will be able to use GBSAA as an alternate and preferred means of compliance,” says David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI.

“This COA will open the skies for more unmanned flights around our North Dakota facility and establish North Dakota as a UAS Training Site of Excellence for the Global Customers.”

According to GA-ASI, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site played a pivotal role in it obtaining the first Public COA that incorporates the Grand Forks Air Force Base Air Surveillance Radar (ASR)-11 and the L3Harris Technologies VueStation and RangeVue systems to meet “see and avoid” requirements for a large amount of airspace.

GA-ASI adds that the “replication to a civil COA” allows BVLOS flights to be conducted out of its Flight Test and Training Center (FTTC), which is located in the Grand Sky UAS Business Park near Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The FAA authorization is for one year, beginning on Aug. 31.

“This is a big step that will help us to advance UAS operations and comes as the result of our work to both fund the DASR-11 radar and secure authorization from the FAA. Requiring a visual observer adds significant cost and complications to UAS operations and limits the ability of General Atomics, Grand Sky, the test site and others to develop this technology, which is why we’ve been working closely with the FAA to allow broader permission for BVLOS flights,” Senator Hoeven explains.

“By relying on the DASR-11 radar we secured for the Grand Forks Air Force Base, as well as other sense and avoid technologies, General Atomics will be able to fly UAS without an observer or chase plane up to 60 miles from the air base. This is a significant expansion of the company’s unmanned operations in the state, another important step toward safely integrating this technology into our airspace and further proof that North Dakota is the location of choice for UAS research, development, testing and operations.”

With the civil COA, GA-ASI is allowed to conduct GBSAA flight operations using its company-owned Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) within 60 nautical miles of the FTTC.