American Robotics advances commercial drone operations

SARA

Marlborough, Massachusetts-based commercial drone system developer American Robotics (AR) is partnering with Scientific Applications & Research Associates (SARA) of Cypress, California, to advance beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). The AR Scout System uses SARA’s Terrestrial Acoustic Sensor Array (TASA), combining microphone technology and advanced signal processing algorithms to identify other aircraft and maintain a safe distance from them while in flight.

Additionally, AR has been invited to join the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) where it will provide recommendations to normalize safe, viable, and scalable BVLOS flights. In January 2021, AR received FAA approval to operate its fully automated drones BVLOS without a human operator.

In May 2021, Sunnyvale, California- based Ondas Holdings Inc. announced it’s acquiring AR for $70.6 million. Officials at Ondas, developer of proprietary, software-based wireless broadband technology, say the acquisition will integrate the companies’ technology platforms and increase automation, data collection, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered analytics in industrial markets that maintain, monitor, and operate critical infrastructure.