Swamp Stomp
Volume 15, Issue 1
CompassData, a global provider of geospatial data and services, uses a Trimble UX5 drone for aerial surveys. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted five regulatory exemptions for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) used for commercial operations. Section 333 of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act (FMRA) granted these exemptions to four companies that represent several different industries, and promise to benefit from UAS technology.
One of the companies benefiting from these regulatory exemptions, Trimble Navigation Limited, manufactures the UX5 drone used by CompassData and several other businesses. These exemptions allow for an expedited certificate of authorization (COA) process because the use of unmanned aircraft systems are pre-approved.
“The process of acquiring a certificate of authorization from the FAA, which is required to fly legally within U.S. airspace, can be cumbersome and time consuming,” claimed Jeff Southard, Senior Project Manager at CompassData. He continued, “This exemption should help companies that use the Trimble UX5, like CompassData, accelerate this process and allow us to get into the field in a timely manner. This will benefit our customers.”
CompassData clarified that the Trimble exemption does not mean that future UX5 operations are exempt from the COA process, but, rather, the process may be accelerated due to the FAA exemption of the Trimble UX5. They are still only permitted to operate in a defined block of airspace under special provisions unique to the proposed operation.
The formal announcement of CompassData’s purchase of their first unmanned aircraft system, the Trimble UX5, arrived in early 2014. They are one of only a handful of U.S. based companies who have experience working with the UX5. Besides the excellent reviews the UX5 had received, the long history between CompassData and Trimble made the UX5 the obvious choice. The custom camera system was designed and constructed specifically for mapping and surveying professionals who rely on highly accurate deliverables. Furthermore, it has a potent airframe and is simple to operate.
CompassData now employs three Trimble certified remote pilots, all having many hours of flight experience, who are prepared to conduct flight operations for custom aerial imagery collection projects. There is no limit to the mapping and surveying projects CompassData are now able to conduct. A few implementations of the UX5 so far include but are not limited to utility mapping, oil and gas fields, crop analysis, terrain modeling, volume calculations, mine mapping, tree height calculations, disaster relief, wildlife monitoring, livestock management, wildlife management, and ranch mapping.
There remains strict limitations to UAS use, however. They are permitted to fly in the national airspace system under very controlled conditions. Operations have the potential to range between ground level to above 50,000 feet, depending on the size and type of aircraft. UAS operations are not allowed to be conducted in Class B airspace, however, that is, over major urban areas or in areas that contain a high density of manned aircrafts in the National Airspace.
CompassData provides additional information at http://compassdatainc.com/
Further information on the Trimble UX5 can be found at http://www.trimble.com/agriculture/ux5