The FAA has granted Scottish company Cyberhawk a nationwide beyond visual line of sight (BVLoS) waiver, paving the way for safe remote drone operations across the USA.

Cyberhawk specialises in drone-based inspection and survey services and visual data management software.

The BVLoS waiver allows Cyberhawk to operate drones beyond visual line of sight without the need for a visual observer, thereby expanding the range and flexibility of its drone inspection, survey and data collection services. This development should enhance Cyberhawk’s ability to support critical infrastructure sectors, including utilities, oil and gas, and capital projects, with high-precision aerial inspections and data analytics.

The waiver enables Cyberhawk to conduct longer and more complex missions without line-of-sight constraints, resulting in reduced operational time and costs. By reducing the need for ground personnel and exposure to hazardous environments, the waiver should improve employee and customer safety.

Cyberhawk can now provide inspection services over larger areas and in remote locations, ensuring critical infrastructure is monitored and maintained effectively.

“We are very pleased to receive this nationwide BVLoS waiver from the FAA,” said Phil Buchan, chief operating officer of Cyberhawk. “This achievement underscores our commitment to innovation, safety and excellence in the drone industry.”

Scott Lashmit, Cyberhawk’s US aviation manager, added: “With the nationwide BVLoS waiver, we can potentially more than double the amount of surveyed assets collected in a day, saving our customers valuable time and costs. Getting actionable data and images quickly is paramount for our customers to arrive at clear, effective decisions ensuring the integrity and safety of critical infrastructure.”

Founded in 2008, Cyberhawk (thecyberhawk.com) specialises in visual data management, combining drone-based inspection and survey data with its iHawk software (thecyberhawk.com/ihawk-software). It conducts hundreds of thousands of inspections and surveys each year and operates in more than 40 countries.