Tag Archives: BLOS

Surveyors Wanted

Pangaea Looks Back at 2016

Undoubtedly, for me the most notable event of 2016 (in the geospatial world) was the FAA’s Rule 107 allowing sUAS to be used in the NAS for commercial work. No more Section 333 exemptions. (Well, for merely flying, anyway; if you want to go beyond the restrictions of 107, you’ll still need to file for...

Utility corridor mapping and monitoring is a prime example of an application that is constrained by the current FAA Section 333 VLOS rule. (Here a hydroelectric power transmission tower being inspected by an Aeryon Scout. Courtesy of SkyDroid.)

Getting Beyond VLOS

The FAA’s streamlined Section 333 exemption and COA process is welcome, but there’s still a fly in the ointment.  While the ongoing FAA Section 333 exemption process is a big step in the right direction for UAS, all operators flying under these exemptions are constrained by the VLOS rule: all flights must be conducted within...