Following the steps of the primary short-range deliveries carried out by La Poste, Swiss drone producer RigiTech has carried out one of many first long-range Past Visible Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone supply routes in Switzerland, efficiently flying over Lake Geneva to a laboratory in Coppet and again. Each RigiTech’s proprietary software program, RigiCloud, and Eiger drone {hardware} have confirmed as soon as once more to be dependable and compliant with BVLOS SORA rules. “This flight represents a regulatory milestone and one other step in the direction of our growth within the healthcare sector. With the ability to fly in Switzerland, our residence nation, is very important. It marks our fifth European nation with BVLOS authorisations, and fourth for the Eiger,” mentioned Adam Klaptocz, co-founder and CEO at RigiTech.
An essential milestone for the development of the drone supply trade in Switzerland, this feat was potential because of the impeccable coordination with Skyguide and Genève Airport, to create an efficient communications channel and to acquire clearance earlier than flights. This milestone was a number of months within the making, as RigiTech gathered the approval and collaboration from Genève Police, the Cologny Municipality, the Workplace cantonal de l’agriculture et de la nature (OCAN), and Swiss Federal Workplace of Civil Aviation (FOCA). “We’re managing to surpass new obstacles and challenges from our sector. Each new profitable authorisation and secure operation is a step ahead for the entire trade, which is one thing we might be happy with,” mentioned Alejandro Del Estal, Head of Operations at RigiTech.
Avoiding excessive inhabitants density on the bottom, this difficult route designed over the lake required consideration of mandatory protections for native fauna, in addition to vigilant consideration to ongoing boat site visitors on the water. RigiTech’s group proved profitable in coordinating the deliberate flights with info from the Compagnie Générale de Navigation (CGN), earlier than executing this route to attach Geneva and Coppet.
A formidable alignment between Swiss companies and RigiTech has enabled this operation, demonstrating as soon as extra their willingness and forward-thinking mindset to assist push this expertise and Switzerland into the long run. Every considered one of them enjoying an essential function, have created the circumstances to make drone supply a actuality at the moment.
This primary intercantonal route over the lake related Cologny (Geneva) and the rooftop of the laboratory in Coppet (Vaud). Drone logistics between these two factors permit for pressing transport of medical items and provides – because the Eiger drone can simply carry a payload of as much as 3 kg (as much as 300 pre-conditioned blood vials)– and saving as much as 90 minutes in supply time when in comparison with floor transportation throughout rush hour. Touchdown on the laboratory rooftop additionally allowed easy accessibility to the delivered package deal for the medical employees, and allowed the drone to return to Geneva in lower than 10 minutes.
