uAvionix Offers Free pingRX ADS-B Receivers for Hurricane Dorian Recovery Efforts
uAvionix, designer and manufacturer of Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) equipment for unmanned and manned aircraft, today announced is offering free pingRX Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) ADS-B receivers to first responders and UAS service organizations participating in rescue and recovery efforts associated with Hurricane Dorian.
pingRX is a dual-frequency ADS-B receiver intended for use onboard a UAS. Retailing for $249 and weighing only 5 grams, pingRX can provide the operator with a digital view of ADS-B equipped aircraft in the airspace up to hundreds of miles away. When integrated with a compatible autopilot such as ARDUPILOT, Pixhawk, PX4, or the Cube – local ADS-B traffic is displayed on the Ground Control Station (GCS) display. uAvionix is offering a free pingRX to each organization assisting in Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts.
The FAA’s mandate for ADS-B OUT equipage on manned aircraft has a deadline of January 1, 2020 – so equipage levels are currently high. Users are cautioned however that equipage is not at 100%, so reliance on ADS-B as a sole means of Detect and Avoid (DAA) is not advised.
In 2017, in response to Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in Houston TX, UAS were used extensively for the first time in recovery and rescue efforts. The use of UAS has continued to grow in response to hurricane efforts ever since. Hurricane Dorian is expected to travel along the Eastern coast of the U.S. northward at a slow pace, creating extensive damage from winds and flooding.
“Over the past few years, the use of drones in hurricane and natural disaster recovery efforts has increased significantly due to the value of the real-time data collected in combination with ease of deployment,” says Christian Ramsey, uAvionix President. “First responders and recovery crews will undoubtedly work tirelessly for weeks in response to Dorian. We hope to make these efforts just a bit safer and encourage good airspace safety practices with the use of the pingRX systems.”
The FAA has published guidance for UAS operators, urging strict adherence to Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR). The airspace in these areas can be crowded and unpredictable.
First responders and UAS service organizations are encouraged to contact uAvionix at responseteam@uavionix.com for details on the offer.
About uAvionix Corporation
uAvionix was founded in 2015 with the mission of bringing safety solutions to the unmanned aviation industry in order to aid in the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). A fundamental principle of that mission is to provide solutions that allow all airspace users a common situational awareness of the airspace. Through the evolution of our company, we pioneered and now offer low SWaP TSO certified and uncertified ADS-B and GPS solutions for General Aviation (GA), Airport Surface Vehicles and the UAS markets. Based in Bigfork, MT and Leesburg, VA, uAvionix consists of an unparalleled engineering and management team with a unique combination of experience within avionics, surveillance, airport services, UAS aircraft development, radio frequency (RF), and semiconductor industries. The entire leadership team consists of pilots of fixed wing, rotary wing, and UAS aircraft. uAvionix is backed by investors at Playground Global and Airbus Ventures.
To learn more about uAvionix manned and unmanned products, please visit: www.uavionix.com
