Xcel Energy is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company, serving millions of customers across several states. They already lead the way in renewable energy solutions and recently introduced a cutting-edge approach to solar farm inspections. By integrating with FlytBase’s advanced software along with DJI Docks, supplied by Frontier Precision, they aim to revolutionize their solar panel maintenance and ensure optimal efficiency at their solar farms. This state-of-the-art system enables scheduled inspections, thermal data collection, and proactive fault detection, setting a new standard for solar panel maintenance.
Xcel energy adopting drone-in-a-box solution
The new system improves the efficiency of monitoring construction progress and overall plant performance. FlytBase's technology captures critical data during drone flights, allowing Xcel Energy to control their docks seamlessly and ensure safe flight operations from the start of construction. This streamlined approach facilitates the efficient placement of docks on-site and provides valuable insights into solar farm performance.
Currently in the development phase, Xcel Energy is looking forward to significantly reducing the time and effort required for routine inspections with the help of FlytBase’s software. By improving fault detection and optimizing dock placement, this technology will help maintain peak performance at their solar farms, leading to maximum energy output.
"Big thanks to FlytBase for their support and incredible technology. We can't wait to see the full benefits once we deploy this in production. As we move towards end-to-end autonomous workflows, including fully BVLOS flights, scheduled missions, and comprehensive post-processing with FlytBase's Data Processing Flink, we are paving the way for the future of solar farm management—one flight at a time." - Thomas Stegge, Senior UAS Program Manager, Xcel Energy.
As a Marcom Manager at FlytBase, Baisali oversees the content strategy, creation, and management! With over 7 years of experience in the drone industry and 3 years of it at FlytBase, she’s a self-proclaimed drone fanatic and is obsessed with all things geographical. In 2022, she has been recognized as the “Women to Watch in UAS” for AI/Autonomy category by Women and Drones.
When she’s not busy hosting FlytBase’s webinar series or organizing NestGen - a global drone autonomy focused event, you can find her exploring the Patagonian Desert, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, or the Yellowstone Caldera on Google Earth.
Anglo American Deploys Drone-in-a-box Solution at Quellaveco Mine Powered by FlytBase
Anglo American Peru, one of the world’s leading mining companies, has deployed a fully autonomous drone system at its Quellaveco mine, making it the first mining project in Peru to adopt automated drone operations. The drone-in-a-box solution, powered by FlytBase, now performs scheduled aerial inspections of key infrastructure without the need for on-site pilots.
This deployment was executed in close collaboration with UAV Latam, FlytBase’s regional solutions partner, whose on-ground expertise played a critical role in enabling seamless integration and operational success.
From Manual Missions to Remote Autonomy
Traditionally, aerial inspections at Quellaveco required manual drone operations, demanding time, specialized personnel, and access to difficult terrain. With FlytBase’s drone-in-a-box solution, Anglo American has transitioned to a fully automated workflow. This eliminates operational friction while increasing flight frequency, enabling the mine’s operations team to gain deeper insights, faster, and safely.
Through FlytBase’s centralized dashboard, remote operators at Anglo American can program flight routes, define safe operating zones, monitor live telemetry and video feeds, and automatically store collected data in the cloud, all while maintaining high digital security standards.
Automated Data Processing with FlytBase Flinks
As part of this deployment, Anglo American is also leveraging Flinks: FlytBase’s one-click third-party integrations to automate the data processing workflow for all aerial data collected. Through a seamless integration with Pix4D, high-resolution images captured during autonomous missions are automatically synced to generate detailed 3D maps and models directly into the Pix4D Cloud. These maps and models are crucial for various critical tasks like topographic analysis, structural analysis, change detection, and accurate volumetric measurements.
Instead of manual uploads and scattered file transfers, Pix4D Flink automates the entire data pipeline, giving the team rapid access to processed outputs for better decision-making.
Quellaveco mine site from above
The Future of Automated Mining Operations
This successful deployment at Quellaveco shows how autonomous drones can streamline routine inspections while reducing the need for personnel in high-risk areas. By automating aerial data collection, mining teams gain more frequent, consistent insights that support faster decision-making and safer site operations.
As the mining industry moves toward greater automation, Anglo American’s implementation offers a clear example of how drone-in-a-box systems, paired with integrated data workflows like Pix4D, can deliver measurable improvements in safety, efficiency, and operational visibility.
Introducing FlytBase On-premises: Secure and Controlled Drone Automation for Enterprises and Government Organizations
As drone technology becomes increasingly adopted across industries, the need for secure and customizable deployment options is more critical than ever. Data security and access control are non-negotiable for enterprises and government organizations.
At FlytBase, we understand the importance of data security and operational control. We recognize that, when dealing with sensitive data and operations, a solution that prioritizes control and customization is essential. That's why we are excited to introduce our On-premises deployment option, designed to provide maximum security, access control, and flexibility for drone automation needs.
FlytBase On-premises solution is designed to provide maximum security and control over your data and drone operations. By deploying FlytBase within your organization's infrastructure, you can ensure that your data is stored securely and remains under your control.
For organizations requiring the highest level of security, we offer an Airgapped configuration. In this setup, the FlytBase platform runs on a dedicated cluster of computers, completely isolated from the internet, providing an additional layer of protection for your sensitive data and operations.
The Need for On-premises Deployments: Solving Real-World Challenges
Consider a scenario where drones and docks are connected to the public internet, raising concerns about unauthorized access to critical data. It's a legitimate concern that keeps many organizations on high alert.
However, data security is not the only issue at hand. Organizations also require full control over who can access and manage their drone operations. Unauthorized access to drones or docks can have severe consequences.
These concerns are not merely theoretical. Enterprises and government agencies are prime targets for cyber attacks, and even a small vulnerability can lead to significant repercussions. For example, a data breach at an oil & gas company could compromise critical infrastructure like oil rigs, resulting in devastating consequences.
It's no surprise that the demand for On-premises deployments is growing globally. In the Middle East, On-premises is often a prerequisite for adopting drone technology. In Europe, organizations typically prefer to keep their PII (Personally identifiable information) which is contained in images and videos captured by the drone, and streaming data on-premises, while other data can reside in the cloud.
How FlytBase's On-Premises Deployment Works
FlytBase's On-premises deployment offers the perfect balance between data security and operational efficiency. This solution ensures data isolation and privacy, tailored to your organization's network setup. Media storage and video streaming are securely stored on your private server, accessible only through secure links. The system allows limited internet access for real-time drone control and authentication through your private cloud, keeping your data protected while still enabling essential drone operations.
The FlytBase dashboard and docking station will communicate exclusively with this private server for all video and media-related tasks, ensuring that data remains under the organization's control.
Airgapped Deployments with Zero Internet Access
An airgapped deployment involves running the FlytBase platform on a dedicated cluster of computers, completely isolated from the internet. This configuration ensures that data and operations remain strictly within the organization's private network, providing the highest level of security and control.
Despite being offline, the FlytBase platform is fully equipped with all necessary features, including video streaming, map layers, media storage, license management, and authentication. All components work seamlessly together, allowing organizations to focus on their drone operations without compromising on functionality.
Key Features and Advantages: Why FlytBase On-Premises Stands Out
FlytBase's On-premise deployment options come with a range of features and advantages that make it a compelling choice for organizations looking to secure their drone operations and data. Let's explore some of the key benefits in more detail.
Operational Access Management
FlytBase On-premises provides full control over who can access and manage drone operations. Granular access controls and user permissions allow organizations to define roles and set limits on user actions.
Whether managing access for a small team or a large organization, FlytBase simplifies the process of ensuring that only authorized personnel can interact with drones and data.
Customization and Integration
FlytBase On-premises is designed to be highly customizable and integrable with existing systems and workflows. The open architecture and APIs enable organizations to build custom applications on top of FlytBase, while customization options allow tailoring the solution to specific needs.
Whether integrating with existing security systems or developing bespoke functionality, FlytBase provides the flexibility needed to create a drone solution that works seamlessly with an organization's requirements.
Data Security and Control
FlytBase On-premises puts organizations in complete control of their data. With the Airgapped deployment option, data is kept entirely within the organization's private network, ensuring it never touches the internet.
For those who choose the default deployment option, sensitive media and streaming data can be stored on a private server, accessible only through a secure network connection.
FlytBase enables organizations to maintain strict control over their data, providing peace of mind knowing that sensitive information is safe and secure.
Way ahead
As drone technology continues to shape industries and organizations around the world, the need for secure and controlled deployment options has never been more important.
With FlytBase On-premises, organizations are in control when it comes to data security and access. The flexible platform allows for customization and integration to perfectly fit an organization's unique needs. Plus, the user-friendly interface makes managing drone operations a seamless experience. For organizations seeking a secure, controlled, and flexible drone solution, FlytBase On-premises is the ideal choice.
Improving Safety and Compliance in Docked Drone Missions with AVSS and FlytBase
As drone-in-a-box operations scale globally, the industry is reaching a critical inflection point; autonomy at scale demands safety at scale. While autonomous drone deployments are transforming security, inspections, and monitoring workflows across industries, one fundamental challenge remains: ensuring airspace safety and ground risk mitigation during critical failures.
This is especially true in the case of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions or flights over populated areas, where traditional manual intervention is simply not an option. In such cases, even a minor malfunction can have significant consequences. That’s where the integration between AVSS and FlytBase is set to redefine the future of dock-based drone safety.
Why Is Scaling BVLOS Drone Ops Still a Challenge?
DiaB systems, such as those enabled by DJI Dock 2 and the DJI Dock 3, are designed to operate without human oversight, but what happens when something goes wrong mid-flight? While multiple drone automation software providers like FlytBase offered features like detect and avoid systems, go-to-safe-altitude, return-to-home, and more functionalities, an even robust flight termination protocol is required to ensure complete autonomy without visual observers.
Without an active recovery system, a drone failure can lead to damage to infrastructure or property, injury to people below, compliance violations, and more.
Even with robust automation platforms like FlytBase, operators faced hurdles in:
Obtaining regulatory approvals for BVLOS or operations over people,
Deploying drones in urban environments with pedestrian traffic,
Securing insurance for high-stakes operations, and
Scaling operations without always having a human standby pilot.
The result? Docked drone operations remained largely confined to low-risk zones or line-of-sight use cases, limiting the potential of full autonomy.
How Does The AVSS Parachute Recovery System Ensure Safe Dock Operations?
To address the growing safety demands of autonomous drone operations, FlytBase has integrated the AVSS Parachute Recovery System (PRS) directly into its cloud-based operations platform. This integration introduces a comprehensive emergency response layer, designed specifically for drone-in-a-box deployments where human intervention is minimal or nonexistent.
The AVSS PRS, compatible with DJI M3D and M3TD models used in the DJI Dock 2, is engineered to respond to critical in-flight failures with exceptional speed and precision. The system is capable of deploying a parachute in under half a second when a failure is detected, ensuring a controlled descent that minimizes risk to people and property on the ground.
What makes this integration particularly powerful is its tight coupling with the FlytBase interface. Operators can monitor the health and status of the parachute system in real time. In addition to automated triggers, the parachute can also be manually deployed from the FlytBase Operations Dashboard if a situation calls for operator intervention.
What This Integration Delivers
Hardware-Software Synergy The AVSS Parachute Recovery System (PRS), compatible with DJI M3D and M3TD drones used in DJI Dock 2, is now natively integrated with the FlytBase platform, providing seamless connectivity between hardware and software.
Rapid Response The system can deploy the parachute in under 0.5 seconds when a critical failure is detected. Additionally, operators can manually trigger deployment via the FlytBase dashboard if necessary.
Live System Monitoring Operators gain real-time visibility into the status of the parachute system, including armed state, errors, or disconnections. This ensures pre-flight readiness and fast issue identification.
Post-Deployment Monitoring: After the parachute is deployed, operators can access the post-deployment statistics, like the last known location, post-incident telemetry and alert logs, all available through the FlytBase dashboard.
Last Known Location of the Parachute shown on the FlytBase Dashboard
Flight Termination Support Certain AVSS models, such as the PRS-M3DTEX, include a built-in Flight Termination System (FTS) that shuts down drone power before parachute deployment, an essential feature for BVLOS regulatory compliance.
Operational Feedback and Alerts The FlytBase platform provides visual feedback to operators of successful parachute deployment and immediate alerts during and after events, enabling better situational awareness and incident reporting.
System Alerts on the FlytBase Dashboard
BVLOS Operations Support Through this integration, operators can ensure regulatory compliance to align with ASTM F3322-22 and EASA MOC 2512 standards, expediting approvals for BVLOS or urban missions across stringent aviation standards stated by the FAA, EASA, and more.
Rescue Acknowledgement & System Reset Once the drone is marked as rescued, the FlytBase platform automatically resets the map view, active alerts, and launch panel to default, ensuring readiness for the next mission.
Drone Rescue Acknowledgment Alert on the Dashboard
How To Get Started With Safe and Compliant BVLOS Drone Operations?
The integration of AVSS with FlytBase is more than a product update, it’s an operational shift that enables safer, smarter, and more compliant dock deployments. For operators looking to scale their autonomous drone programs, this is the moment to build safety directly into the foundation of your workflows.
If you're already deploying DJI Dock or planning BVLOS operations, it's time to assess your emergency readiness strategy. Connect with the FlytBase team to activate AVSS integration across your fleet, explore compliance requirements for your region, and review how this system can accelerate waiver approvals and insurance validation.
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