Skeyetech system, first autonomous drone approved in Europe
In a first and a historic milestone for the civilian professional drone in Europe the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) which regulates drones uses in France, has approved a fully-automated drone with no pilot, paving the way to new applications.
A press release stated that Azur Drones, European leader in surveillance UAVs, recently bagged the first and only DGAC approval for a fully-automated drone – Skeyetech system. The drone will take off from a docking station without the requirement for a remote pilot. Presently any authorized flight scenario in France requires a qualified pilot, making this specific approval unprecedented.
Based in France and founded in 2012, Azur Drones has become the European leader in surveillance UAVs. A pioneer in pilotless drone solutions, the company has developed a fully autonomous drone solution for safety and security applications, even in the most sensitive and complex environments. Skeyetech system can carry out patrols, reconnaissance flights or assist in crisis situations 24/7.
This approval means Azur Drones’ Skeyetech drones are now authorized to fly over private areas, Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS), day or night, in urban areas, under simple supervision of a remote operator. The system will be directly operated by a security guard and that too without a pilot license. The drone will be used to patrol the area or provide valuable aerial insights in case of an alarm.
Elaborating further Stéphane Morelli, Azur Drones Managing Director said, “We are very proud of this approval which rewards an 18-month close collaboration with DGAC services. Our system had to comply with the civilian aviation authorities’ requirements in terms of safety, reliability and quality. A process that was obviously very demanding due to the fully automated character of our system.”
While Jean-Marc Crépin, Azur Drones CEO added, “This unprecedented approval is a landmark event for professional civil drone. Azur Drones unlocks huge markets that are currently restrained by the complexity of common drone solutions implementation. Unlike standard piloted solutions, our systems are easy-to-use, operational 24/7, precise and reliable.”
With this authorization, Azur Drones aims to make autonomous drone a standard in the security market not just in France but overseas as well. Azur Drones is already in negotiations with authorities in order to get similar approvals in several other countries.