Percepto, an autonomous inspection and monitoring solution provider, has announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allowed operators to use its drone-in-a-box solution to perform highly automated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (HA BVLOS) inspection and monitoring operations at a large Texas solar power plant.

According to the company, the drone operations are approved for up to 200 feet above ground level, double the altitude of any previously approved HA BVLOS drone operation in the US. This altitude will enable greater operational flexibility to monitor larger areas and taller structures, including mapping and modeling use cases.

The company says that without a pilot or visual observer on site, its advanced technology enables an automated detect and avoid (DAA) cycle. This eliminates the need for remote pilot in command intervention if other aircraft are detected within the airspace. This automatic airspace deconfliction capability enables centrally controlled drone-in-a-box fleets of multiple sites in the future.

“Gaining this approval marks a significant milestone to provide remote and autonomous inspections at industrial sites, fulfilling Percepto‘s mission to provide safe and reliable critical infrastructure,” said Percepto Policy & Government Affairs VP Neta Gliksman.

“We are grateful to the FAA for their diligence in reviewing Percepto’s safety case and we look forward to continue to support the critical infrastructure community across the US.”