Vigilant Aerospace Systems CEO Kraettli L. Epperson contributed a guest article to UAS Magazine examining how the United States is entering a critical phase in the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace. The article is framed around the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) proposed Part 108 and Part 146 rulemakings, which signal a shift from waiver-dependent approvals toward routine, rules-based ‘beyond visual line of sight’ (BVLOS) flight supported by validated sensing technologies, software assurance, and consensus technical standards.
Drawing on FlightHorizon deployments in North Dakota and Oklahoma as examples, and Vigilant Aerospace’s work on a U.S. Air Force research program, Epperson details how ground-based surveillance, onboard ‘detect-and-avoid’ (DAA) systems, and evolving regulatory frameworks are converging to enable scalable integration for uncrewed aircraft and ‘Advanced Air Mobility’ (AAM) platforms.
The article outlines a practical pathway toward nationwide integration grounded in operational data, fielded safety technologies, and maturing industry standards.
Read the Full article in UAS Magazine
About UAS Magazine
UAS Magazine is a trade publication covering the business, technology, and policy developments shaping the uncrewed aircraft systems industry. It reports on commercial, public safety, and defense UAS operations, with a focus on regulation, integration into the National Airspace System, and emerging applications. The publication serves industry professionals, operators, manufacturers, and policymakers involved in advanced aviation systems.
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