15 unmanned systems
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ENGINEERING. PRACTICE. POLICY.
is the ability to f ly around an existing struc-
ture above 400 feet if it stays within a 400-
foot bubble around the structure. This enables
them to f ly around structures they wouldn't
have been able to inspect in the past without a
special permit, Eisenrauch said.
"One of the surprising provisions the FAA
put in the rule was actually targeted at people
doing vertical infrastructure inspections, so
cell towers and other tall buildings," said Ian
Smith, an account executive for DroneDeploy
and an FA A commercial helicopter pilot. "If
you have a structure that's 700 feet tall, you
can operate up to 400 feet above the top of it,
so 1,100 feet total above ground, as long as you
stay within 400 feet of the building."
The new regulations also allow operations
from a moving vehicle as long as the same per-
son isn't in control of both the drone and the
moving vehicle—which is huge for the agricul-
ture industry, Smith said. This enables farmers
to f ly hundreds of acres without the UAS going
beyond visual line of sight.
The Case for Beyond Visual Line of Sight
Because Dominion Virginia Power already has
a section 333 exemption, Eisenrauch said Part
107 doesn't really open up new applications
for the company. The rule does get them one
step closer to f lying beyond visual line of sight,
however, which would be a game changer for
utilities and a variety of other industries.
Power lines can be located in swamps, moun-
tains or other areas that are difficult to reach,
and the ability to fly UAS over extended distanc-
es would eliminate the need for crews to travel
from structure to structure during inspection—
"THE NEW RULE
WILL OPEN UP
OPPORTUNITIES
in areas such as
roof inspections,
infrastructure inspections
and real estate, allowing
for business growth."
Rose Mooney, executive director of
the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
at Virginia Tech
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