Department 13 has unveiled its first Remote Operations Centre (ROC) to support the increased demand for Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations across a range of industry sectors throughout Australia.
The ROC is capable of operating a range of drone platforms, with success recently illustrated by its state-of-the-art Nightingale Security Blackbird, one of the highest calibre and smartest drones in the world.
The ROC was designed and built to meet the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA) rigorous specifications for safe use and control of a remote cockpit. These specifications ensure the ROC’s flight, communications, and information systems are sufficiently robust to endure redundancy impacts in worst-case scenarios.
BVLOS refers to the operation of drones at distances outside of a pilot’s normal visible line of sight. As visual sight is the primary means by which pilots determine safe path execution, developing systems to safely fly drones BVLOS requires advanced communication and control systems to identify airborne threats and vulnerable ground areas.
Department 13’s UAS pilots hold a range of specialist aviation certifications, are experts in the field of BVLOS operations, and are trained and approved to operate all D13 ROC platforms.
Department 13 already has a series of critical national infrastructure organisations projects rolling out in 2022 that will benefit from the new ROC services. Paired with its highly specialised team, Department 13 is delivering a unique and effective offering around Australia and further afield, for its growing customer base.
