Propeller Drones, Airwayz and FlightOps team up for Israel’s first BVLOS drone flights

Propeller Drones has chosen unmanned air traffic management provider Airwayz to execute its $7m Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) contract to conduct autonomous drone flights. 

The operations, which include beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) inspection of electrical infrastructure, mark the first time drones have operated on AI-approved routes BVLOS in Israel. 

“This project is a landmark not only for Airwayz but for the entire industry,” said Eyal Zor, CEO and co-founder of Airwayz. “Each flight utilising our proven UTM technology will be studied and will help turn the dream of autonomous BVLOS drone operations into reality. As the system accumulates flight hours, we witness significant enhancements in airspace optimisation, unlocking business opportunities that industries have been waiting for.”

The collaboration enables Propeller Drones, Airwayz and FlightOps to apply for tenders and regulatory approvals as a single unit, both locally and globally.

Until now, unmanned flights have faced regulatory hurdles in Israel. Propeller Drones is the country’s largest drone service provider, it has collaborated with FlightOps to enhance AI flight capabilities to meet government needs and address regulatory concerns. 

Airwayz was then enlisted to provide a UTM system capable of managing large areas and multiple fleets.

“Bringing together proven teams as allowed us to expand our commercial activities,” said Itamar Kohali, CEO of Propeller Drones. “As industry demands continue to rise, each regulator-approved large-scale operation brings us one step closer to delivering these capabilities to organisations that need them most.”