Chief Remote Pilot (Peter) and Chief Maintenance Officer (Marcus), with a Nightingale Security Blackbird in Australia’s new ROC.

Department 13 drone technology has just established its first Remote Operations Centre (ROC) in Australia. The new ROC will enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight drone operations to fly 24/7 anywhere in Australia while being actively monitored by specialist UAS and BVLOS pilots.

The Remote Operations Centre (ROC) will support the increased demand for BVLOS drone operations across a range of industry sectors throughout Australia. The ROC is capable of operating a range of drone platforms, with success recently illustrated by its state-of-the-art Nightingale Security Blackbird, one of the highest caliber and smartest drones in the world.

The ROC was designed and built to meet the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA) rigorous specifications for safe use and control of a remote cockpit. These specifications ensure the ROC’s flight, communications and information systems are sufficiently robust to endure redundancy impacts in worst-case scenarios.

Department 13’s UAS pilots hold a range of specialist aviation certifications, are experts in the field of BVLOS operations, and are trained and approved to operate all D13 ROC platforms. Department 13 already has a series of critical national infrastructure organizations projects rolling out in 2022 that will benefit from the new ROC services. Paired with its highly specialized team, Department 13 is delivering a unique and effective offering around Australia and further afield for its growing customer base.