Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
French Drone Company, Utility Demonstrate 3G Flight Control
Delair-Tech and utility company RTE said they flew a small fixed-wing drone beyond visual line-of-sight for a distance of 30 miles.
The DT18 drone serves for anomaly detection, predictive maintenance and vegetation control of utility lines. (Photo: Delair-Tech)
The DT18 drone serves for anomaly detection, predictive maintenance and vegetation control of utility lines. (Photo: Delair-Tech)

French drone and aerial data processing provider Delair-Tech and utility RTE said they set a distance record on June 8 by flying a small fixed-wing drone for 30 miles for the first time using a 3G cellular network for control. The beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operation between RTE’s Distré and Assais-les-Jumeaux substations in western France was designed to inspect a 400,000-volt powerline.