A Winter Springs company, Hoverfly Technologies, that designs and builds groundbreaking aerial robot systems, wants to partner with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to train tens of thousands Americans to use aerial robots for commercial hire, the company said Friday. The company desires to create a ‘Film Flight School’ certification to focus on safety precautions and agency stipulations.
“The FAA like so many agencies is overworked and underfunded, and my company wants to relieve some of the burden through a strategic partnership,” explains Al Ducharme, a founder of Hoverfly Technologies and associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF).
Hoverfly Technologies develops remotely piloted aerial robots that enable nearly hands-free flight and effortless video capture in the air.
The company recently partnered with the producers of the Golf Channel to demonstrate the Hoverfly system at the Arnold Palmer Hill Classic currently underway in Orlando.
See Chad Coleman’s video of “Hover Fly” here.
“The film and entertainment industries have used our systems to capture everything from the Aztec ruins to Amazon rainforest tree canopies,” Ducharme said.
The FAA prohibits using aerial drones commercially in the United States.
Hoverfly Technologies already has an existing flight school in which it trains its customers on how to use its robotic systems. The company said, its certification program will allow people to use aerial robots commercially in closely watched conditions.
“We have the ability to collect significant data about the commercial use of drones, and we’d love to share it with the FAA,” Ducharme added.
The FAA is perhaps too late in seeking to enforce drone rules, as personal or commercial flying robots, seem here for the long haul.
