SwissDrones has successfully completed a series of test Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) test flights over Malta. The drone operator collaborated with Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (Transport Malta) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to carry out maritime patrol, search and rescue, and surveillance missions over water. Additional flights were conducted to test and validate communication and sensor payloads.
Further partners included Malta Air Traffic Services, Enterprise Malta, Indis Malta, and the San Lawrenz local council.
Building on this expertise, the country now aims to position itself as a global hub for drones and advanced air mobility (AAM).
All operations were executed in accordance with European Union Safety Administration (EASA) regulations for unmanned aircraft under the Specific Category, with full authorization from Transport Malta.
SwissDrones utilized its SDO 50 V2 Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) unmanned helicopter system designed for a multitude of long-range missions in adverse weather conditions, day and night, at high altitude, and a large spectrum of temperatures, without any risk to the crew.
“The Malta archipelago offers an ideal geographical location for flight testing in demanding maritime conditions over long distances,” said Ulrich Amberg, CEO of SwissDrones. “Additionally, the nation is a growing hub for robotics and aviation with world-class infrastructure and excellent government support, making it perfectly suitable for establishing a new base of operations.”
(Image: SwissDrones’s SDO 50 V2 VTOL unmanned helicopter system has a payload capacity of 99 lbs (45 kg))
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