The Sky Guys, Canada's top drone operator and manufacturer, announced this week the start of its DX-3 Vanguard flight test campaign at Toronto Markham Airport CNU8. After securing a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) earlier this year, The Sky Guys has been focused on systems integration, pilot training, and developing operating procedures, culminating in ongoing flight tests that will continue through 2019.

"Flight testing a drone such as the DX-3 is no easy feat. With its custom airframe, electronics, and software, and coming in at a take-off weight above the 25kg normally allowed by regulations, it goes without saying that safety and reliability are our priority. That we have mitigated the key risks and verified key technical requirements is a major achievement for our team," stated Jeremy Wang, CTO of The Sky Guys.

The DX-3 Vanguard fills the gap in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, by offering long flight times, safety, and a low operational footprint in a single system. In addition to a maximum range of 1500km and endurance of 24 hours, the DX-3 comes with radio, cellular, and satellite links, and can take off and land vertically. Traditional long-range drones require runways, launch rails, base stations, or other ground equipment that are impractical for use in adverse terrain such as those found in remote pipelines, disaster areas, or combat zones.

"The DX-3 Vanguard is the competitive choice for oil & gas, security, and defence organizations globally. We have seen many long-range drones on the market, but none with the same combination of endurance, range, and outstanding communications, software analytics, and safety features as the DX-3," added Adam Sax, President & CEO of The Sky Guys.

The Sky Guys now looks to the future as it prepares for pilot projects in 2019. For government agencies, the DX-3 Vanguard will be deployed with The Sky Guys' proprietary cloud platform to demonstrate NATO Class 2/3 ISR capabilities in a Class 1 operational footprint. For midstream oil and gas companies, these technologies will be deployed to help monitor and safeguard pipeline infrastructure in accordance with government regulation (e.g. Pipeline Act, PHMSA), industry standards (e.g. CSA, API, ASME), and internal company policies.

"We are excited to be working with a handful of forward-thinking partners in midstream and government, and we continue to encourage interested parties to get in touch. We are committed to providing innovative solutions that save time and money, produce deeper data-driven insights, and offer competitive capabilities in the field," concluded Sax.