Record Setting BLOS Package Delivery Flight Flown in Nevada
On Feb. 15, a record setting, long distance beyond line of sight (BLOS) delivery flight was conducted in Nevada, in which the Drone America Savant UAS flew a total distance of more than 39 miles, making it the longest drone delivery flight in history. During the flight, which was flown by a team from Drone America, the UAS flew BLOS for one hour.
The UAS, which reached an altitude of 1,500 feet AGL, was used to deliver a package to the Hawthorne Industrial Airport in Hawthorne, Nevada. The package contained emergency supplies in a simulated lost hiker scenario.
Once the flight was complete, all parties that took part in it were very happy with the achievement.
“For many years Drone America’s team has been focused upon building turnkey solutions that are both commercially viable yet also have a beneficial effect upon the world in which we live,” says Drone America’s CEO and founder Mike Richards via press release.
“Remote critical package delivery can include such items as medical equipment (AED) and supplies such as vaccines, EpiPens, anti-venom, even a Search and Rescue survival package. These achievements bring us closer to becoming a self-sustaining, Nevada-based, and American-made corporation that gives back.”
Dr. Chris Walach, the Nevada UAS Test Site Director, says, “today was a new long distance flight record in Nevada and in the National Airspace. We are a major step closer to commercial package delivery on a large scale in Nevada and in the National Airspace.”
Finally, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval says, “this achievement is a testament not only to the skill of the team at the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems and Drone America, but also the support that has been shown by the entire State of Nevada to support this important initiative.”
“Nevada is changing the future of transportation, and I congratulate all those Nevadans who share in this milestone - this is one for the record books.”
The flight was flown under the Nevada UAS Test Site’s FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA). It was led by the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS), which manages the Nevada UAS Test Site on behalf of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).
During the flight, there were ground safety visual observers on hand, as well as a Cessna 206 fixed-wing aircraft flown by AviSight, which provided aerial safety observance.
Following the flight, Mike Richards of Drone America presented the package of emergency supplies to Dr. Chris Walach, who accepted it on behalf of the State of Nevada.
