UK train infrastructure operator Network Rail successfully completed what is says is the longest beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone mission ever flown in the country.
Network Rail said the record-setting UK BVLOS drone flight took place on Wednesday over a 25-kilometer area of lines in its East West Railway system, about halfway between London and Birmingham. The so-called arms-length public interest company, which is required to reinvest any profits it makes back into operations, said the trial raised hopes of increasing use and extended missions of UAVs to enhance safety, and radically reduced costs incurred by helicopter flights. Network Rail said it put 18 months of careful planning into the trial.
Previously, choppers were the only real option in long-distance inspections. Those were too long for traditional human assessments conducted on foot, which even in shorter-range situations involve a risk of accidents in the event of a train unexpectedly…
