Long range drone maker and provider of advanced aerial intelligence solutions SwissDrones has announced its arrival on American shows, with a first hardware contract with a US energy company.
The announcement came after SwissDrones scored the contract to provide drones to Southern Company, an energy provider serving nine million customers across Southeast USA and beyond through its family of companies.
The UAV, called the SDO 50, is a state-of-the-art unmanned helicopter and one of the first unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the category beyond 55lbs to be approved in over 30 countries to fly long-range beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions.
Its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability along with heavy payload capacity offers a highly cost-effective alternative to a manned aircraft. It’s also a more sustainable solution, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 95 percent, according to the manufacturer.
“Energy companies are dealing with a host of difficult circumstances when it comes to maintaining their critical infrastructure,” says Ulrich Amberg, CEO of SwissDrones.
“From an increase in extreme weather events to cumbersome inspection practices, companies need new, innovative solutions. Teaming up with Southern Company will enable more efficient aerial surveillance and inspection to navigate those challenges.”
For its part, Southern Company says will deploy the aircraft to modernise maintenance protocol, enable efficient infrastructure monitoring, and conduct swift storm damage assessment.
“Partnering with SwissDrones empowers us to bring innovation to aerial inspection and infrastructure maintenance,” said Dean Barefield, UAS program manager at Southern Company.
“As our first deployment of a large unmanned aerial system (UAS), the SDO 50 will expand our operational reach, allowing us to cover greater distances across our power lines in the Southeast and across our natural gas infrastructure throughout our broader service territory.
“This technology enhances our ability to gather high-quality data for both electric and gas operations, ultimately helping us better serve all of our customers.”
Based in Zurich, Switzerland, SwissDrones develops innovative unmanned systems and an intelligence-as-a-service solution that’s more sustainable and cost-effective, enabling organisations to reduce emissions and operational risks.
Approved in over 30 countries, SwissDrones’ technology sets a new standard for flight endurance, heavy payload capacity, and real-time data insights for mission-critical operations.