Jul 24 2015
Drone Aviation Holding Corp. ("DAC" or "Drone Aviation"), manufacturer of tethered drones and lighter-than-air aerostats, today announced that Aviation Systems Engineering Company (ASEC), Inc. has filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an amendment to its previously granted 333 exemption for the commercial operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) to include DAC's WATT-200 electric tethered drone.
If granted, the amended 333 exemption would allow ASEC to be an FAA-approved operator of DAC's new WATT-200 electric tethered drone. Drone Aviation and ASEC plan to partner on various commercial opportunities including infrastructure monitoring and disaster response programs.
"The opportunities for commercial tethered drones for security, infrastructure inspection and disaster response is tremendous and ASEC believes that by harnessing DAC's innovative tethered drone technology and the WATT-200, we will be able to offer our customers an exciting range of new capabilities featuring safe, enhanced flight duration," said, Brent Klavon, Commercial sUAS Manager for ASEC.
Jay Nussbaum, chairman of Drone Aviation, added, "We are pleased that ASEC, a trusted provider of flight services for the military, recognizes the unique safety and long endurance flight capabilities of our WATT-200 electric tethered drone. We look forward to working closely together on safe and reliable tethered commercial flight operations of the WATT upon the granting of the amendment by the FAA."
The WATT-200 tethered drone is DAC's first model of a new line of commercial-grade, turn-key electric tethered drones designed to provide secure and reliable aerial monitoring for extended durations while being tethered to the ground via a high strength armored tether. Unlike "hobbycraft drones," WATT is uniquely suited for a wide number of news gathering, industrial and emergency response applications where manned aircraft and even free-flying drones are unable to deliver the long flight duration and commercial grade real-time day/night video monitoring capabilities needed.
ASEC's 175 employees include experienced UAS and payload operators, airspace specialists, airfield site survey specialists, test and evaluation professionals, UAS subject-matter-experts, range safety support personnel, maintenance experts, operators, and regulatory experts. ASEC provides a comprehensive list of services that range from turn-key solutions, to "a la carte" options including professional and low risk technical demonstrations, tailored training programs, sUAS program and document development, flight test and evaluation reports, range safety, sUAS field services, risk and safety analysis and concept of operations development.
Source: http://www.droneaviationcorp.com/