Department 13 has unveiled its first Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Canberra, Australia to support the increased demand for Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations across a range of industry sectors.
The new ROC will enable BVLOS drone operations to fly 24/7 anywhere in Australia while being actively monitored by specialist Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and BVLOS pilots. The ROC is capable of operating a range of drone platforms, with success illustrated by its state-of-the-art Nightingale Security Blackbird, one of the highest caliber and smartest drones in the world.
The ROC was designed and built to meet the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)’s rigorous specifications for safe use and control of a remote cockpit. These specifications ensure the ROC’s flight, communications, and information systems are sufficiently robust to endure redundancy impacts in worst-case scenarios.
Developing systems to safely fly drones BVLOS requires advanced communication and control systems to identify airborne threats and vulnerable ground areas. Department 13’s UAS pilots hold a range of specialist aviation certifications, are experts in the field of BVLOS operations, and are trained and approved to operate all Department 13 ROC platforms.
Department 13 has a series of critical national infrastructure organizations projects rolling out in 2022 that will benefit from the new ROC services.
