V-TOL Issued Part 102 Operator’s Certificate by Tonga For Advanced RPAS Operations

To deliver the additional field activities of the World Bank’s UAV4Resiliance program, V-TOL has received its second International RPAS Operator’s Certificate covering the National Airspace of the Kingdom of Tonga. Issued by CAD Tonga as CAD/UAOC/01/17 under Part 102 (NZ) Regulations, this authorisation includes advanced permissions enabling multi-aircraft beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.

These permissions will enable V-TOL to fly its RPAS types over & between the Tongan Islands. “V-TOL looks forward to operating with key members of CAD Tonga and the World Bank in demonstrating advanced RPAS survey & support in this SW Pacific region”, says V-TOL CEO Mark Xavier. “To conduct advanced BVLOS missions, V-TOL has integrated RelmaTech’s SIAM UTM technology into each of its aircraft enabling Tongan ATC at Nuku’alofa real-time visibility of our operations”, he continued.

Hitachi & V-TOL Execute Global Technology Agreement

Hitachi & V-TOL Aerospace have executed a Global Agreement to develop and commercialize a new generation of autonomous robotic products & services.

Designed to support Hitachi’s IoT cloud based platform Process Intelligence (HPI) an Industrial level Enterprise business solution, the collaboration is aimed at supplying the in-field robotic & Ai technologies to enable HPI to sense, process & action ‘core’ industry business requirements in real-time.

“Hitachi’s vision for HPI takes business innovation & understanding to a new level to benefit industry & society,” says V-TOL CEO Mark Xavier. He continued, “V-TOL has been offered a unique opportunity to work with a highly respected global corporate leader to deliver advanced technologies that will increase productivity & reduce waste in many of our core industries”.

Approved for release Hitachi/V-TOL 12 Sep 2017

V-TOL Attends Ag-Tech Israeli Trade Mission with QLD Govt

Queensland startups inspired by trade mission of a lifetime

Eleven Queensland AgTech startups have returned from a “life changing” Tel Aviv trade mission with key strategies to bolster Queensland’s burgeoning AgTech sector. The eleven companies, chosen from a very strong pool of applicants, represented diversity in the Queensland agricultural sector, both in the range of solutions they offer and their locations across the state with the startups coming from Cairns, Longreach, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

They have returned from the mission, which was based out of the Tel Aviv Landing Pad, motivated by the Israeli ecosystem which is second only to Silicon Valley. The businesses already report they have several strong leads to significant new business opportunities in areas including agricultural biotechnology, big data and farm management. Advance Queensland partnered with Startup Catalyst and Austrade to deliver the mission to that travelled to Israel from 5-14 August.

See More HERE.

World Bank Group Selects V-TOL Aerospace for UAV4Resilience

After an extensive global selection process, the World Bank Group (www.worldbank.org) has awarded Australian company, Queensland based, V-TOL Aerospace to deliver its UAV4Resilience Climate Change, Risk Management & Disaster Recovery UAV technology evaluation program. Designed to test how Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology can assist in the resilience of A-PAC Coastal & Island Nations, the program is expected to run for up to 12 months with V-TOL UAS Flight Crews & Geospatial specialists conducting advanced operations in the region.

V-TOL will use multiple V-TOL manufactured UAS types (Fixed Wing, Multi-Rotor & Hybrids) fitted with various technologies including types never tested in this application before. “We are honoured to have been selected to deliver such an important initiative with global implications”, says Managing Director Mark Xavier. He continued, “V-TOL will use this opportunity to demonstrate V-TOL’s technical & Australia’s importance in delivering significant economic benefits to its region and the global community”.

New app to keep drones safe

A new Smartphone app has been released to make flying drones safer. The app clearly shows crucial drone no-fly zones and drone fly with caution zones for drones operated in the under two kilogram commercial category. This information can also be used as guide for recreational drone flyers and certified remotely piloted aircraft operators. The app uses a drone flyers location to display no-fly zones around major airports, the flight paths of smaller airports and helicopter landing areas.

Users will also see restricted and military airspace where drones must not be flown. The drone no-fly zones are shaded in red on the map. Orange shading is used to show fly with caution zones around areas where aircraft are known to operate at low altitudes. It is the first time an official app has been released in Australia to help drone flyers stay safe and abide by the safety regulations. Information is also shown for uncontrolled aerodromes and aircraft landing areas, with written advice about what to do when flying a drone in those locations.

The app has been produced with specialist drone software company Drone Complier and will be available in Android, iOS and web-based HTML5.

Get the “Can I fly there?” drone app now.

V-TOL Awarded QLD Government Ignite Ideas Grant to Develop Veuron

V-TOL is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Ignite Ideas grant from the Advance QLD Fund, by DSITI, QLD Govt. The grant will be used to develop and field test VEURON™, a technology designed to provide the on-board computing power necessary to enable real-time data analytics for business intelligence tasks in addition to a sophisticated level of robot automation. “We expect this technology will take robotic productivity and safety to the next level”, said Mark Xavier CEO/MD of V-TOL.VEURON™ working with RelmaTech SIAM UTM will enable safer and more productive Multi-Aircraft, Multi-Task & Multi-Sensor Day/Night Operations in the National Airspace

V-TOL has commenced testing the VEURON™ capability in preparation for advanced field testing later this year. The flight program will be designed to collect the metrics required to establish the value VEURON™ equipped robots can deliver into Australia’s ‘core’ industries.

Advance Queensland is a $405 million whole-of-government initiative that aims to turn ideas into actions by investing in research and technologies, attracting new investment, building global partnerships and encouraging businesses to start and grow in Queensland.

https://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2017/3/29/business-growth-potential-ignited-by-palaszczuk-government-advance-queensland-funding

V-TOL Aerospace (www.v-tol.com), is a Queensland based Australian corporation that designs, manufactures enterprise level commercial RPAS. It is a CASA approved training organisation & focuses on advanced day & night RPAS flight operations using UTMs. V-TOL counts NGOs, Global corporations, ASX 200, Local, State & Federal Government agencies as customers.

V-TOL VEURON™ Awarded Ignite Ideas Grant

V-TOL is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Ignite Ideas grant from the Advance QLD Fund by DSITI. The grant will be used to develop and test VEURON™ a technology designed to provide the on-board computing power necessary to enable real-time data analytics and a more sophisticated level of robot automation. “We expect this technology will take robotic productivity and safety to the next level”, said Mark Xavier CEO/MD of V-TOL.

V-TOL Conducts Multi-RPAS Multi-Task Multi-Sensor (MMM) Day/Night BVLOS Operations

Under its unique CASA & RAAF beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) permissions, and building on its remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operational & manufacturing experience, V-TOL is now conducting day/night BVLOS multi-aircraft, multi-task, multi-sensor flight operations. The aim of this current RPAS flight program is to demonstrate the significant value RPAS can deliver into Australia’s ‘core’ industries 24/7 in a safe & compliant manner. 

V-TOL GosHawks (FW) & Seekers (MR) conduct Multi-Aircraft, Multi-Task & Multi-Sensor (3Ms) Day/Night BVLOS operations over pasture, crops, herds, roads, fence lines, creek lines, dams, buildings and other man made assets, at Marburg Farm on 9 Mar 2017

“V-TOL needs to prove the significant value-proposition RPAS can deliver into Australia’s ‘core’ economic industries,” says Mark Xavier CEO and Chief Remote Pilot of V-TOL Aerospace.

He continues, “Only by conducting safe, cost-effective, real-world demonstrations can we win over the confidence of the public & the industries that will become the main beneficiaries of this technology. The 3Ms working 24/7 is what large organisations want and we intend to deliver them.”

V-TOL Aerospace (www.v-tol.com), is a Queensland based Australian corporation that designs, manufactures enterprise level commercial RPAS. It is a CASA approved training organisation & focuses on advanced day & night RPAS flight operations using UTMs. V-TOL counts NGOs, Global corporations, ASX 200, Local, State & Federal Government agencies as customers.

V-TOL Commences Routine Day/Night BVLOS Operations

V-TOL, under its unique CASA & RAAF permissions has commenced day & night beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) unmanned aircraft (UA) flight operations at its 30km² Marburg Farm flight Area of Operations (AO) 10km NNW of RAAF Amberley.

A testament to how routine these operations are viewed by RAAF operations, FA-18 Super Hornets & C-17 operations are not effected by V-TOL RPAS operations in this airspace. Vertical and horizontal separation is maintained by RAAF ATC & V-TOL operational procedures. Life goes on in a routine, but professional manner.

VTOL BVLOS Flight path

A V-TOL GosHawk II BVLOS Flight Path Trace Marburg Farm on 1 Mar 2017

“V-TOL has successfully commenced its BVLOS flight program designed to develop and test appropriate operational procedures, minimum technical platform requirements and pilot training competencies”, says Mark Xavier CEO and Chief Remote Pilot of V-TOL.

V-TOL, as RelmaTech’s A-PAC agent and distributor operates as standard equipment the 4G SIAM Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) units in its aircraft. We believe that our GosHawk II & Hornet RPAS platforms now set the benchmark in small-RAPS BVLOS day/night operational safety.

V-TOL Aerospace (www.v-tol.com), is a Queensland based Australian corporation that designs, manufactures enterprise level commercial RPAS and is CASA approved for remote crew training and advanced day & night RPAS flight operations using UTMs. V-TOL counts NGOs, Global corporations, ASX 300, Local, State & Federal Government agencies as customers.

NHG Environmental Monitoring Operations

New Hope Group (NHG) Chief Pilot and mine surveyor Martin Leggat prepares to conduct a fix wing training flight with AUSA RePL course 02/17 student Brad O’Reilly. Brad is an Environmental Scientist with NHG. Brad looks forward to using advanced RPA technology to closely monitor NHG revegetation projects.