uAvionix, Choctaw Nation Complete first BVLOS C-Band Drone Flights

The partners used uAvionix’s SkyLine software to command and control drones beyond the operator’s line of sight.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 04:15 PM ET

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A drone takes flight under uAvionix control at the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Emerging Aviation Technologies Center. [Courtesy: uAvionix]

Key Takeaways:

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and uAvionix completed the first U.S. beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights using aviation-protected C-Band radio.
This utilizes C-Band frequencies, which the FCC has proposed dedicating exclusively to unmanned aerial systems, promising vastly extended range and improved reliability for drone operations compared to current public spectrum.
The technology is poised to standardize and scale commercial UAS applications, such as medical and package delivery, utility inspections, and emergency management, by overcoming current range limitations and reducing the need for visual observers.

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One of America’s oldest communities may be testing the newest mainstay in U.S. drone operations.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and partner uAvionix, which provides avionics and services for the general aviation, defense, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industries, on Tuesday announced they had completed the nation’s first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights using aviation-protected C-Band radio.