MANASSAS, Va. May 15, 2024 — Blue Sky Network, a leading provider of cutting-edge satellite communication solutions to commercial and government customers worldwide, today announced that its SkyLink 7100 solution will help enable critical Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) capabilities to American Aerospace Technology Inc.’s (AATI) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) which is now being used by Chevron Pipe Line Company.
Blue Sky Network’s SkyLink 7100 voice, data, and BVLOS terminal was customized and integrated into AATI’s UAS, AiRanger, to provide continuous tracking and Command and Control (C2) capabilities while the aircraft conducts UAS surveillance of Chevron’s pipeline and production facilities. Chevron and AATI recently made history as the first companies permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use UAS in airspace shared by crewed aircraft for remote monitoring. The solution leverages the Iridium truly global L-Band satellite network for continuous connectivity.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this innovative collaboration resulting in a first-of-its-kind BLVOS waiver from the FAA,” said Robert Bills, President of NAL Research, which recently merged with Blue Sky Network. “What we have accomplished with AATI and Iridium is a milestone to the future of scalable, cost-effective BVLOS operations.”
In December of 2022, SkyLink was integrated into AiRanger during a flight trial conducted by Iridium. Based on trial results, the solution was recommended to help enhance communication and safe aircraft spacing.
“The dual-mode SkyLink solution is engineered to deliver a powerful combination of reliable connectivity, communication, and monitoring functionality, ideal for UAS operations in remote environments,” said Ron Hume, Blue Sky Network CTO.
Read the full press release from Iridium here.