AirPro News has published coverage of Vigilant Aerospace Systems’ recent flight tests of FlightHorizon PILOT. The article highlights FlightHorizon PILOT as an onboard “detect-and-avoid” (DAA) system for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). It also connects the tests to the broader industry need for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight.
AirPro News reported that the tests evaluated the system’s ability to track aircraft and calculate avoidance maneuvers onboard the aircraft. They also noted the role of lightweight, aircraft-carried DAA systems in scaling commercial drone flights. In its analysis, AirPro News emphasized that onboard DAA technology may become increasingly important as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advances future BVLOS rulemaking:
“The successful demonstration of a low-footprint DAA system addresses one of the most persistent technical bottlenecks in the commercial drone sector. While ground-based radar and observer networks have facilitated early BVLOS waivers, scaling commercial operations requires the aircraft to carry its own separation assurance technology. If the FAA’s upcoming Part 108 rule mandates onboard DAA for specific operational risk categories, systems like FlightHorizon PILOT will transition from experimental capabilities to mandatory compliance equipment. We expect the market for lightweight, multi-sensor DAA suites to accelerate rapidly as the rulemaking process concludes.“
AirPro News further reported that onboard DAA systems could become important compliance equipment under future FAA Part 108 rules. The article frames FlightHorizon PILOT as part of a larger shift toward practical, onboard safety systems for BVLOS drone flight.
Read the full article here.
About AirPro News
AirPro News is an aviation and aerospace news publication covering commercial aviation, defense and military aviation, space, technology, regulations, safety, and uncrewed aircraft systems. The publication provides aviation industry news, analysis, and technical coverage for readers following developments across the global aerospace sector.
Vigilant Aerospace is the leading developer of multi-sensor detect-and-avoid and airspace management software for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones). The company’s product, FlightHorizon, is based on two NASA patents and uses data from multiple sources to display a real-time picture of the air traffic around a UAS and to provide automatic avoidance maneuvers to prevent collisions. The software is designed to meet industry technical standards, to provide automatic safety and to allow UAS to safely fly beyond the sight of the pilot. The software has won multiple industry awards and the company has had contracts and users at NASA, the FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense and with a variety of drone development programs. Visit our website at www.VigilantAerospace.com