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.

http://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 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.

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, 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.

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.

The robotics and automation industry is rapidly emerging to be a key driver in the future growth strategies of global corporations. Drones are now at the forefront of our minds when it comes to technology. So where will drones be in five years?

The benefits of employing these technologies across the ‘core’ economic sectors of the global economy are growing daily and like the PC and iPhone will be profound. The final outcome will be a 3D digitised world in real-time. To get there will require the culmination of platform & supporting technologies marching in time with the regulations that will control their use.

In one sense, this industry is a close replay of the ICT experience of the 1970s, 80s & 90s. The lessons learnt over that 30 year period are now well studied and understood, but the business development cycle, as demonstrated by the current consumer drone uptake, is occurring far more rapidly. I suspect there will be many surprises when it comes to winners and losers.

For major players that consider global ‘core’ economic sectors such as agriculture, mining, security & logistic, and government services to be their bread & butter or future opportunity, getting the strategy wrong could prove an expensive and or a fatal game changer for them.

The rush to deploy capital into the global drone sector, particularly by Silicon Valley, is evidence of the drive towards securing the ‘high’ ground of this technology. In addition to the traditional aerospace companies such as Boeing and Airbus, the likes of Intel, Face Book and Amazon are investing heavily in what they believe will result in competitive advantage through a ‘disruptive’ technology.

On the flipside, I’m surprised that it took Alphabet this longer to realise that delivery of door to door products by drones “are a fantasy” (their words) for the foreseeable future. Alphabet’s decision to withdraw from the delivery idea should be taken seriously. I believe it will take allot more technology before a Uni student on a scooter can be cost-effectively replaced by a drone or robot pizza delivery system.

So where will drones be in five years? In short, you will see them over every mine & farm and used by every corporation and government agency that can use spatial information, but don’t expect your pizza to arrive by air just yet!

Mark is the CEO of V-TOL Aerospace (www.v-tol.com), an Australian corporation that designs, manufactures enterprise level commercial drones and is CASA approved for remote crew training and advanced day & night RPAS flight operations. V-TOL counts NGOs, Global corporations, ASX, Local, State & Federal Govt agencies amongst its list of customers.

V-TOL recently collected a high-resolution LiDAR dataset of Peal Island near Brisbane using a Hornet equipped Data61 HoverMap sensor. The story behind creating the Peal Island virtual reality model was filmed by the BBC and has just been released for global viewing. Here is the story:

V-TOL, a Queensland based Technology SME focusing on Unmanned Aircraft (UA) manufacturing, training and flight service operations has been issued a CASA Instrument to conduct day and night BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) operations under its CASA ReOC 0074. This is a significant step towards routine advanced UA/Drone operations in support of Australia’s ‘core’ economic sectors.  For further information see attached press release.

V-TOL Public Release BVLOS Operations 8 Feb 2017

New drone rules start today, allowing you to fly your sub 2kg drone commercially without the need to be certified, saving you both time and money. Before you take-off, you must complete an online notification form and agree to fly within the standard operating conditions to keep everyone safe. Your drone is your responsibility. Know the rules—fly safe. More information available at https://www.casa.gov.au/rpa

Secure airspace management for small drone operations is here

RelmaTech’s SIAM system – the leader in making small drone operations safe

BRISBANE, 22 August, 2016 – Australia’s V-TOL Aerospace has partnered with UK-based RelmaTech to conduct what they claim is the world’s first commercial flight operations of a remotely piloted airborne system (RPAS) supported by an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) system.

On Thursday 18th August, V-TOL used one of its GosHawk variant RPAS to conduct routine volumetrics survey operations for its customer, New Hope Mining Group (NHG), at NHG’s Jeebropilly Mine site located 1.5 nautical miles from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley, west of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. The GosHawk II Surveyor – an electric fixed wing aircraft weighing less than 7 kilograms – was fitted with RelmaTech’s SIAM (Secure Integrated Airspace Management) technology.

A V-TOL GosHawk II Surveyor RPAS fitted with SIAM (Photo courtesy of V-TOL Aerospace)

“As part of our technology development for minimising risk to third party airspace users, we are now fitting SIAM to all our aircraft, including aircraft we build for our customers,” said Mark Xavier, Director and Chief RPAS Pilot at V-TOL. “As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the aircraft flying within RAAF controlled airspace (CTR), we are permitted to fit such technologies to our aircraft.”

“Thursday’s RPAS operations, consisting of two flights of 2 hours and 1.5 hours duration, were carried out under V-TOL’s current Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and RAAF permissions,” Xavier added. “It was our first commercial operations using SIAM under standard operating conditions – an event we and RelmaTech believe to be a world first. That these operations took place 1.5 nautical miles from the main runway of Australia’s largest active RAAF base during normal F-18 and C-17 operations is also of significant importance.”

RelmaTech provided RAAF Amberley Air Traffic Control with a login to the SIAM portal so they could observe V-TOL’s RPAS operations in real time. Login accounts were also provided to ATC sections at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Newcastle in New South Wales, and Oakey Army Aviation Centre, west of Toowoomba in Queensland, as V-TOL conducts RPAS operations within the Oakey CTR on a regular basis and will soon commence similar operations within the Williamtown CTR.

“Because the SIAM feed from an operating RPAS can be viewed in real-time over the web, SIAM enabled Amberley ATC to have greater situational awareness of V-TOL’s RPAS operating within their active CTR,” said Philip Hall, Founding Director and CEO of RelmaTech. “Mark, as Chief Pilot of V-TOL, was also able to monitor the flights between meetings in the Brisbane CBD, and I watched the live feed from my home office in the United States. The NHG Operations Manager for the Jeebropilly site could also observe the operations on his iPad.”

Last Thursday’s landmark flights come just a week after V-TOL demonstrated SIAM to representatives of Defence Industries and the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, Queensland. In that demonstration, V-TOL had two RPAS flying at the same time in their training area; a V-TOL Hornet multi-rotor on a general flight test, and a V-TOL GosHawk fixed wing conducting a survey training mission. Each aircraft weigh less than 7 kilogram. The demonstration included a detailed briefing and viewing of SIAM’s composite live feed of the aircraft flying.

John Thynne, former Manager Safety Systems Office at CASA and now Manager Aviation Solutions at RelmaTech, says “SIAM offers an operative digital substitute for ADS-B and secondary radar, thus providing an effective alternate means of situational awareness in the aviation sphere. This technology will assist in allowing the aviation industry greater scope of operations into the future.”

With SIAM technology, Xavier can now monitor his company RPAS operations anywhere in the world from the Operations Room at V-TOL’s Head Office in Rocklea, Queensland – or wherever he is. “SIAM will enable safer and more advanced operations in the National Airspace, and we are excited to be able to make this capability available to our customers”, Xavier says. “As an OEM manufacturer and operator of unmanned aircraft, we believe it should be a requirement to fit all unmanned aircraft with SIAM technology.”

About SIAM

“SIAM offers a viable and robust solution to the critical issues confronting regulators and manufacturers responsible for ensuring the safety of low-flying RPAS,” Hall says. “SIAM represents an innovative integration of proven technologies and concepts used in civil aviation, online and mobile communications and information management, working in concert with existing transportation systems to ensure that small RPAS operations are safe for the full range of potential users.”

“With SIAM, RPAS and their operators can be identified and their permissions verified – and, where necessary, restricted,” Hall adds. “SIAM can determine whether the flight to be undertaken is restricted to Line of Sight or permitted for Beyond Line of Sight, and then oversee the flight accordingly. These and other capabilities, including separation assurance and collision warning, ensure that RPAS can be safely operated within an integrated managed airspace.”

About RelmaTech

RelmaTech is a UK-based company specialising in the development and operation of integrated technology-based solutions that provide for the safe and secure management of autonomous and semi-autonomous land, marine and air vehicle operations. RelmaTech also has representation in the United States and Australia. RelmaTech has lodged a world-wide patent application for SIAM.

About V-TOL Aerospace

Incorporated in 2004, V-TOL Aerospace is a Queensland-based 100% Australian owned SME and holder of CASA ARN: 750 709 and Unmanned Operator Certificate (UOC) 0074. V-TOL designs, manufactures, supplies, operates and supports fixed wing and multi-rotor RPAS for organisations and professionals from initial concept to sustainable commercial operations.

Media Contacts:

Philip Hall
Founding Director and CEO
RelmaTech Limited
London WC2H 9JQ, UK
T: UK +44 (0)20 8144 6021, USA +1 734-385-4321, Australia +61 (0)2 6100 8585
E: [email protected]
W: www.relmatech.com

Mark Xavier
Managing Director
V-TOL Aerospace
Rocklea, Queensland 4106, Australia
T: +61 7 3275 2811
E: [email protected]
W: www.v-tol.com