SkySkopes approved to fly UAS nationwide
Snowy Owl Productions, doing business as SkySkopes, will launch its commercial unmanned systems program immediately, following FAA approval (333 exemption) granted June 5th. Skyskopes is the third company in North Dakota to secure a 333 exemption for commercial operations, the first entrepreneur company to do so, and the first company from Grand Forks.
SkySkopes’ initial flight operations will focus on cell tower inspections with its business partner Dell-Comm Inc. of Duluth, Minnesota.
Having personnel climb cell towers to inspect and assess equipment and antenna attached to the towers is both time consuming and potentially dangerous. The use of drone technology with high fidelity imaging systems will provide cell tower maintenance crews a new tool to more safely inspect and monitor equipment minimizing time and effort while maximizing data and information collected, allowing repair crews more information before climbing the tower.
Matt Dunlevy, CEO and Founder of SkySkopes, reports that “flight operations will focus initially on an existing customer in the Midwest, who realizes the value of unmanned systems in meeting their inspection needs. The ability to fly commercially AND legally provides the SkySkopes team a competitive advantage in meeting infrastructure inspection needs in a myriad of markets starting with cell towers.”
Dunlevy added, “Our success in securing FAA approvals to fly the UAS is due to our company surrounding itself with several experts in UAS industry and entrepreneurship. “
SkySkopes, located in the Center for Innovation’s Tech Incubator in Grand Forks, is part of a growing UAS-centric industry cluster centered in the Incubator, spearheaded by the Unmanned Applications Institute (UAI). “The granting of the 333 to SkySkopes is a game changer” says UAI Director of Special Projects Doug McDonald “shifting from research to commercialization will lead to real job growth and technology innovation.”
Bruce Gjovig, director at the Center for Innovation where SkySkopes is headquartered notes that “SkySkopes is the first entrepreneurial company in North Dakota to receive a 333 exemption and will be the first of many to capitalize on UAS technology to meet the growing UAS market in infrastructure inspection, oil and gas inspection and precision agriculture. The future of this industry is unfolding quickly with the development of these innovative tech startups beginning to flourish.”
The FAA exemption was secured through the application assistance of Grand Forks native and UND alumnus, Courtney Bateman of ReedSmith law firm that specialized in aerospace law. The application was submitted on March 31, 2015 and was granted in 65 days when the standard time for approval is 120 days according to the FAA website
About SkySkopes: SkySkopes is a section 333 approved UAS service company focusing on the inspection of large structures. SkySkopes is partnered with Dell-Comm, Inc, a woman owned company with over 25 years’ experience worldwide designing, planning, managing and constructing infrastructure for fiber and wireless connectivity www.dell-comm.com
