What's That Above Our Heads? The Buzz

WASHINGTON - June 4, 2013 - PRLog -- The Buzz Above

Washington, DC, June 5, 2013.  In the next ten years a new generation of Americans will grow up with a buzz of technology that’s above their heads.  We’re not talking about a lack of aptitude, but literally a sky full of buzzing aircraft performing specific applications, and there will be lots of them--that is if Aeropoint Aviation Systems has anything to do with it.  

This week Aeropoint Aviation Systems will join other top aviation leaders and experts from around the world at the RTCA 2013 Global Aviation Symposium. This premier event is taking place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, June 5-6.  One of the primary topics will be Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the national air space.

Aeropoint executives will participate in the exchange of ideas and policy formulation activities that fashion a significant portion of the conference related to unmanned aircraft systems.  The company is betting big on a software infrastructure solution that will provide all of the necessary components required to organize, manage, and construct flight plans for unmanned aircraft in compliance with local, state and federal regulations.  Aeropoint’s patent-pending software applications integrate software development capabilities with flight planning tools that seamlessly connect satellite and Internet links with ground-based flight operations to the aircraft.  The Company’s products also incorporate GPS, USGS, weather, air traffic control and airspace restrictions in compliance with local, state and federal regulations.

T. Edward Marsh, the Company’s CEO says that, “The key factor in the growth and adoption of these unmanned aircraft systems is ‘Compliance Control and Authority’.  In order for commercial applications to be adapted into the National Airspace, a systematic process for compliance with local, state and federal regulations must be in place.  Our networked products will make this possible in an easy, efficient and affordable manner, while ensuring public safety and privacy.”

There are hundreds of unmanned aircraft manufacturers worldwide that want to market their aircraft for use in U.S. airspace.  Currently those aircraft are grounded while the FAA and other regulatory agencies construct the policy to allow these vehicles freedom to fly.  Without the specific type of infrastructure solutions provided by companies like Aeropoint Aviation Systems, the hundreds of aircraft already developed will likely not get off the ground – literally or figuratively.  These critical components will make the adoption of these aircraft systems into the national and global airspace streamlined and safe.    

The existing and potential applications of these unmanned aircraft systems are extensive.  Local governmental authorities will utilize these systems for surveillance and traffic monitoring, utilities will monitor transmission lines and pipelines, media will monitor stories of interest and sell advertising and farmers will monitor livestock and crops.  The uses are practical and widespread and hundreds of providers will be vying for their special application capabilities.

Industry expert University of Michigan Researcher, Ella Atkins, PhD states, “In the near future, fully autonomous unmanned aircraft systems will be both technologically feasible and safe.”  She provides that the motivation for UAS is they can fly at substantially reduced cost, emissions, and noise. She maintains that, “autonomous aircraft require less infrastructure and that pilots may have no better (or less) relevant information than the automation, and that automation can be more 'certain’ of its decisions than can a human pilots and autonomous flight management systems can be safer.”

According to a 2011 Teal Group market study, current worldwide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) expenditures are at $5.9 billion annually with projections during the next decade totaling $94 billion - reaching more than $11 billion annually by 2021. In the 2011-2031 Aerospace Forecast the FAA recognizes 100 U.S. companies, academic institutions, and government organizations developing more than 300 designs to meet the demand for UAS in the civilian market. The FAA also projects (based upon the expected regulatory environment) the following development of the small UAS fleet: 10,000 active units in the next five years, 25,000 active units in the next ten years, and 30,000 active units by 2030. As both civil and commercial applications are expected to develop further, UAS have the potential to become a major component of commercial aviation within the United States.

Aeropoint Aviation Systems plans to invest approximately $175,000,000 during the next three years to provide the most comprehensive and regulatory compliant solution available.  The Company sees the use of autonomous unmanned aircraft growing from small drones to large commercial aircraft by 2025.  The Company’s plans will provide solutions for Tier 3, Tier 2 and Tier 1 aircraft systems.  The company has already developed several patents that will provide intellectual property protection for their innovative concepts.

Aeropoint Aviation Systems, Inc., is a private company organized to develop a networked software platform solution for autonomous unmanned aircraft systems. This platform facilitates aircraft control, flight planning management and regulatory compliance of autonomous unmanned commercial aircraft.  The Company’s core business is software that integrates the autopilot, planning, communications and record keeping, and that enables several key functions required to operate and manage autonomous unmanned flight operations. The convergence of technologies such as satellite communication, electronics, airframe designs, software, the Internet, the international use of unmanned drones for military purposes, and the current governmental push for updating the world’s air traffic control systems (NextGen) make this future possible.