Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 68
INTHENEWS
Black & Veatch
Tests BVLOS Drone
Flight Limits
B
lack & Veatch (B&V) began examining
opportunities in unmanned aerial systems (UAS)
in 2015 when the firm saw its potential for
infrastructure inspections.
"We wanted to determine how drones fit
with current business practices and into the
future," says Jamare Bates, director of B&V's
UAS operations. "We looked among our clients
for those who were willing to move beyond the
traditional model and recognize that drones are a safer and more effective
inspection tool than manned flights and climbing the towers."
In conjunction with the St. Louis-based utility Ameren, B&V
embarked on a two-year project under multiple special permits from the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct beyond visual line of
sight (BVLOS) test flights. Over the course of the project, B&V tested
BVLOS flight ranging from 10 miles in 2017 to a 60-mile proof-ofconcept flight in November 2018.
For the test, B&V used a gas-powered hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) with battery-powered rotors for vertical takeoffs and landings,
If your firm has an item to submit to In the News, please contact Gerry
Donohue at gdonohue@acec.org.
68
ENGINEERING INC.
MAY / JUNE 2019
Black & Veatch in
conjunction with
the St. Louis-based
utility Ameren,
embarked on a twoyear project under
multiple special
permits from the
Federal Aviation
Administration to
conduct beyond
visual line of sight
(BVLOS) test flights.
The test flights
ranged from 10 miles
to a 60-mile proofof-concept flight.
Within three to five
years, limited, rural
BVLOS are expected
to become routine.
fixed wings and a gas-powered
propeller. "It wasn't the toy you see
the neighborhood kid flying," says
Bates. "It's much closer to the types
of drones used by the military."
B&V designed and engineered
the stand-alone telecommunications
network along the flight path for
the tests. For safety, a chase plane
followed the UAV throughout the
test flight, which was conducted in
rural Illinois.
The FAA has taken a go-slow
approach to UAS, but Bates says
this project and others, such as
the FAA's own UAS Integration
Pilot Program, demonstrate the
agency's willingness to expand
their use.
"This is how the FAA works,"
Bates says. "They look to the
market to keep pushing the
envelope in a safe and effective
manner."
Bates predicts that limited, rural
BVLOS flights will become routine
within three to five years. "We
need more flights," he says. "We're
going to stay at the forefront of
this market and this technology. It
works well with our customer base
and will help us expand to other
customers."
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019
Contents
From Acec to You
Market Watch
Legislative Action
The Private Side
Acec 2019 Engineering Excellence Awards
Immediate Action Required
Effective Team Building Strategies
In The News
Mergers And Acquisitions
Members In The News
Business Insights
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Intro
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Cover2
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Contents
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 2
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 3
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - From Acec to You
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 5
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Market Watch
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 7
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Legislative Action
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 9
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - The Private Side
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 11
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 12
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 13
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 14
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 15
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 16
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 17
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Acec 2019 Engineering Excellence Awards
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 19
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 20
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 21
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 22
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 23
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 24
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 25
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 26
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 27
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 28
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 29
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Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 39
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 40
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 41
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 42
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 43
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 44
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 45
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 46
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 47
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 48
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 49
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 50
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 51
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 52
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 53
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Immediate Action Required
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 55
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 56
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 57
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 58
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 59
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 60
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 61
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Effective Team Building Strategies
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 63
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 64
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 65
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 66
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 67
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - In The News
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 69
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Mergers And Acquisitions
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 71
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 72
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Members In The News
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 74
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 75
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Business Insights
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Cover3
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - Cover4
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