On the third day of the highly successful North Carolina Drone Summit, a group of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) experts took the stage to discuss what the future of urban air mobility might look like. The panel took questions from an audience eager to learn more about the state of the technology and about the different alternatives available to drone operators today.
Members of the panel were:
Jonathan Daniels (Moderator), CEO Praxis Aerospace
Phillip (Phil) Hall, CEO RelmaTech Ltd. (UK)
Brent Klavon, VP Operations, ANRA Technologies
Laurent Huenaerts, General Manager UNIFLY
Matthew Satterley, Head of Federal Policy and Government Affairs, AIRMAP
PACI provides Third Party Testing Agency (TPTA) services for applicants who seek Part 107.39 Waivers using ASTM as a Method Of Compliance.
The new ASTM standard defines the requirements for the design, manufacturing, and testing of sUAS parachute recovery systems.
Amongst other things, the standard requires an autonomous triggering system to detect failures and deploy the parachute without relying on the RPIC (remote-pilot-in-command) as well as a flight termination system to stop the motors from spinning.
To meet the standard, parachute systems will need to pass a series of aerial deployments (45 for multi-rotors) through which they need to prove the effectiveness of the system in the sUAS’s full flight envelope and in various failure scenario.
F3322-18 requires the integrator/manufacturer to perform a series of over 45 aerial deployments in different scenarios together with a 3rd Party Testing Agency. These scenarios include two types of failures; Full Motor Cut (FMC), basically a complete loss of power to all rotors, and Critical Number Motor Failure (CNMF), a partial failure resulting in only some of the motors malfunctions. These deployments are performed at different UAS states (mainly hover or full forward speed).
Contact us here for more information, or call 702-586-1160 to schedule.
In support of the adoption of Trusted Operator Program™ (TOP) by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Chapters, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc. (PACI) expands its service by announcing their new, “Chapter Affiliation Incentive Program”. This program is a prime example of PACI’s latest initiatives and commitment to transform organizations by providing the next step of certification in accordance to the AUVSI Trusted Operator Program.
The Trusted Operator Program™(TOP) fills the gap between these minimally prescriptive operating regulations and a higher level of demonstrated knowledge, flight proficiency, safety and risk management practices that is expected to be valued by employers and customers of commercial UAS operators. PACI’s Chapter Affiliation Incentive Program offers a 10% discount on TOP Service Provider certification for Organizational Members of AUVSI Chapters and is in effect as of August 8,2019 and valid until February 1, 2020.
PACI is proud to offer this limited time discounted rate in compliments of other discount programs offered by AUVSI TOP Training Providers. This Program applies to TOP Level 1 and 2 Service Provider certification only and does not apply to individual certifications as TOP Remote Pilots or Instructors. This offer is not valid for colleges already participating in the discounted Section 631 Certification Program.
“Being TOP certified is important as it demonstrates assurance that the Organization meets protocols for competency and safety established by the industry consensus-based standards in the ANSI Standardization Roadmap for UAS,” said Jonathan Daniels, CEO of PACI. “TOP certification is important in terms of success as a professional organization, and has helped early adopters receive Part 107 Waivers. As the first TOP Certifying Body, PACI is committed to assisting industry organizations participate in the Trusted Operator Program.”
This year, the company plans to add more programs that will support the common goals of the Unmanned Aviation industry.
For those interested in taking advantage of this offer, organizations must show proof of Organizational Membership and Chapter Affiliation Click here to get started
PACI Trusted Operator Program officially
goes International
On July 8,
2019, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc (PACI) reached another
milestone and became the 1st
AUVSI Trusted Operator Program (TOP) Certifying Body authorized to
deliver International TOP Service to train drone organizations overseas.
At their
facilities in Henderson and Searchlight, NV, PACI provides
third-party evaluation of the curriculum of industry training programs in
compliance with AUVSI’s remote pilot standards and protocols.
The PACI
team is the first AUVSI TOP partner approved to deliver TOP Certification in
South Africa and continues to be one of fastest – growing leading providers in
the drone industries.
FlightSafety
International, in partnership with Praxis Aerospace Concepts, Inc., officially
begins the Unmanned Aircraft Systems practical flight training in the Henderson
facility.
The
program offers students a wide variety of hands-on training and fundamentals of
UAS and how to safely operate them.
Students will learn UAS rules and guidelines and familiarize themselves with the Part 107 Remote Pilot exam. At the end of the course, they will be able to apply their knowledge on the field and fly a UAS at Searchlight Airpark during a Flight assessment.
Read the press release from FlightSafety International here or sign up for more information on their website. Additional coverage is available from Shephard Media.
To learn more about FlightSafety’s Unmanned Systems Training, and the courses taught in Nevada, click here or email UST@FlightSafety.com
To enroll in FlightSafety’s Essential Library, click here.
To enroll in FlightSafety’s 14 CFR Part 107 Familiarization Course (eLearning), click here.
We would like to remind all out-of-state visitors and users that our “monsoon season” officially extends from June 15th through September 30th, the time during which associated hazards are most likely to occur.
For more information, please review this web page developed by the National Weather Service and the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs to promote awareness of life-threatening and damaging weather hazards affecting the Southwestern United States and its residents during the North American Monsoon.
DAA — State of Play Ballroom, Level 400 Dallas Brooks, Director, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, Mississippi State University Jonathan Daniels, CEO, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International Inc. Ally Ferguson, Director, Airspace Research, PrecisionHawk Jarrett Larrow, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Flight Operations Branch Edward Lester, Chief UTM Architect, AiRXOS Jay Merkle, Executive Director, FAA UAS Integration Office
The ability to detect-and-avoid (DAA) obstacles, including manned and other unmanned aircraft, is one of the biggest challenges facing the drone industry today. How do we adapt one of the most basic responsibilities of a pilot flying a manned aircraft for drones? Come hear panelists discuss the evolving technologies necessary for drones to safely avoid other aircraft and what gaps still exist.
Henderson, NV April 16, 2019 – With daily efforts being made all across the United States to push the boundaries of technology for aerospace and the advancements of innovation, two Henderson companies, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc. (PACI) and Unmanned Systems Inc. (USI), have established another milestone for the industry and for the state of Nevada.
Sandstorm UAS (Stock image provided by USI)
USI, a premier leader in unmanned
aerial systems and partner of PACI, became the first Nevada manufacturer to
receive a Special Airworthiness Certificate (SAC) for Beyond Visual Line of
Sight (BVLOS) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under its new
procedures, which designates authority to Unmanned Air System (UAS) Test Sites
for SAC review and guidance. “The approval of BVLOS for Sandstorm was needed to
allow continued development and expansion into National Airspace. This is
a significant accomplishment for USI,” said Don Bintz, President of USI.
PACI, a business cluster providing
robotics and unmanned system solutions, hosted the FAA Certification team as
the NY UAS Test Site affiliate for the West Coast. Southern Nevada and PACI
have been an extension of the New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss International
Airport since 2016, and PACI’s business connections provides an introduction to
the Searchlight Airpark, a 1200- square miles of commercial U-Space that is
currently the location of Flight Safety International’s Unmanned Systems
Training courses, multiple Part 107 BVLOS Waivers and the UTM Pilot Program
test flights for this summer. With the network and facilities of PACI, they
continue to be one of the nation’s leaders in providing the amenities and
capabilities to satisfying many industry standards for testing of UAS research
and development. “The Eldorado Valley has been the home of innovation in UAS
airspace for commercial BVLOS operations. We started the nation’s first commercial
droneport in 2015 and expanded our testing corridor to include Searchlight
Airpark in 2017,” explained Jonathan Daniels, PACI’s CEO and the Airport
Manager for Searchlight.
In addition, with PACI’s assistance,
this has been the first civil Certificate of Authorization (COA) issued in the
state of Nevada since December 2014 and the first COA issued for BVLOS along
the 38-mile Eldorado Skyway between Searchlight and Boulder City. Furthermore,
this COA is the first to be issued for an aircraft greater than 55 lbs. This
includes aircrafts like the Sandstorm ™ UAS, initially built in 2009, the
turbine-driven propeller aircraft has an 8-foot fuselage, a 15-foot wingspan
and weighs almost 75 pounds, now an electric version is being processed for
certification.
“This is a significant improvement to
training as it will allow USI &
PACI to train Remote Split Operations using Sandstorm and Longshot. We
will begin procedural development immediately and conduct flight testing
through the summer. Our goal is to conduct operations on Land, Air and
Water – remotely,” said Mr. Bintz. Mr. Daniels was equally optimistic about the
future: “As shown by recent regulatory progress by the DOT and FAA, unmanned
aircraft certification will be a key component of large-scale commercial
enterprise. We look forward to seeing the next round of certification projects
in the coming weeks.”
About Praxis Aerospace
Concepts International, Inc.
Founded in
2011, PACI is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business based in Southern
Nevada. The company’s mission is to develop practical solutions for multi-modal
(ground-air-sea-industrial) robotics and unmanned systems (UxS) using a mix of
proprietary technology, unique team domain expertise, and unique partnerships,
PACI develops and operates laboratory and field facilities for autonomous
systems research, development, test, evaluation, deployment, commercialization,
and training. For more information about Praxis Aerospace Concepts
International, Inc., visit its website at www.praxisaerospace.com.
About Unmanned
Systems, Inc.
Unmanned
Systems Incorporated is a Small, Women Owned, Native American Business involved
in Training, Testing and Developing Unmanned Aircraft. USI has been conducting
Unmanned Aircraft Systems operations globally since 2003. For further
information visit our website at www.usi.aero.
On March 19th, 2019, Pinnacle Solutions Inc. was awarded the $533-million cost-plus-fixed-fee Unmanned Aircraft Systems Instruction and Mission Support (UAS IMS) contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Orlando, Florida. Under this contract, Pinnacle will provide UAS instruction, maintenance, logistics support, prescribed load list (PLL), flight line operations support and information technology network support, for UAS training conducted at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, by the 2d Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
Training will be in support of entry-level U.S. Army Soldiers who will be learning to operate and/or maintain the RQ-7 Shadow and MQ-1 Gray Eagle UAS, utilizing simulation systems in a classroom environment in addition to actual flight operations. The estimated contract completion date is March 2026.
Praxis Aerospace Concepts International Incorporated (PACI) is pleased to announce our participation with the Pinnacle team, supporting with a multidisciplinary expertise and experience in safe integration of Unmanned Systems.
Read the full article from the Washington Technology Journal here . Additional coverage from Military Simulation Training Magazine may be found here.
