PLEASANT GROVE – A Utah company’s newest invention could be a game changer in the drone industry.
“It’s the smallest, most compact radar system in the world for beyond visual line of sight operations,” Fortem Technologies CEO Timothy Bean said.
Here’s why it’s important: Using drones to deliver packages to homes isn’t realistic because if thousands of drones are airborne at the same time, there’s concern over them crashing into one another or into a plane or helicopter.
However, Fortem Tech’s new radar, the TrueView radar, changes that.
“It provides the eyes in the sky,” Bean said. He adds it can “see day or night, and through clouds.”
TrueView can mount directly on a drone, plane or helicopter and can detect incoming objects as small as a soda can flying towards it from miles away.
“It can operate on its own very safely,” Bean added.
Previously, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated that someone flying a drone had to be able to visually see it, to make sure it was flying safely. But TrueVue adds that safety, thus eliminating the need for visual spotters. As a result, the idea of drones delivering mail to your doorstep is suddenly much more of a reality.
However, Bean is most interested in air taxis.
“Today, if you want to fly, you got to go to specific airports on a specific schedule and someone else assigns the pilot and you get in like cattle cramming into a seat,” Bean describes.
“Where the world is going in the next three-to-five years is everyone of us is going to be a pilot, every neighborhood an airport, and every home is going to be an airline."
"Instead of Ubering for your car to pick you up, you can Uber for an air taxi. You can get from here to Sundance in 15 minutes for 8 dollars and avoid the traffic.”
