NUAIR, CAL Analytics launch services to advance long-distance drone flights

ROME, N.Y. — Long-distance drone flights are becoming closer to reality thanks to CAL Analytics, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and NUAIR.

CAL Analytics is deploying its detect-and-avoid (DAA) service and contingency-management platform (CMP) within New York’s 50-mile Drone Corridor and designated uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) Test Site at Rome’s Griffiss International Airport, managed by NUAIR.

The organizations are working jointly on a technical assistance program with the FAA to enable and approve a DAA service for low-altitude beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS operations.

Current regulations require drone operators to always have a pair of human eyes visually monitoring the airspace in which the drone is flying, limiting the ability to fly long distances. Without being able to see the drone, the system needs the ability to detect and avoid obstacles in the air and on the ground to assure the safety of both crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

The ability to safely fly BVLOS is the key to unlocking the full potential and economic advantage of routine commercial drone operations like medical and package deliveries.

“This upgrade to the 50-mile Drone Corridor between Rome and Syracuse will help integrate detect-and-avoid technology to further the safe advancement of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace and unlock the true potential of commercial drone operations,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. said in a news release. “We look forward to the fruit this partnership between CAL Analytics and the FAA will bear at Oneida County’s Test Site, which continues to flourish under NUAIR’s management.”

The DAA service will be CAL’s newest drone traffic management service being brought to market and builds off the company’s existing contingency-management platform, which provides a suite of services. This platform will offer critical airspace services including situational awareness from Kongsberg, conflict detection from CAL, health monitoring by ResilenX, and various weather services from TruWeather Solutions to help ensure the safe operation of uncrewed aircraft.

“We’re excited to partner with NUAIR and working directly with the FAA to get our DAA service approved for small UAS,” Dr. Sean Calhoun, managing director of CAL Analytics, said. “This will go a long way towards validating several of the DAA standards, including those from ASTM-F38 and RTCA SC-147, and opening the skies for safe BVLOS drone operations.”

NUAIR will perform the BVLOS flight operations at the New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss, which is one of just seven sites in the country. The CAL technology will provide the key services to enable safe BVLOS operations within the corridor instrumented with radar, communication networks (including 5G), and other leading-edge technologies that facilitate advanced drone operations.