Parallel Flight Applied sciences has acquired a 49 U.S.C. §44807 exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration, authorizing home industrial operations of its Firefly heavy-lift UAS. The approval removes a essential regulatory barrier for the La Selva Seaside, California-based firm and its industrial clients.
What the FAA 44807 Exemption Means
The FAA’s Part 44807 governs unmanned plane programs exceeding 55 kilos at takeoff — programs that fall exterior the usual Half 107 small UAS rule. Acquiring this exemption requires operators to show rigorous security structure, operational procedures, and system maturity earlier than receiving authorization to fly within the Nationwide Airspace System.
“This is a crucial step for our crew and our clients,” mentioned Craig Stevens, CEO of Parallel Flight. “The 44807 exemption validates the protection structure, system design, and maturity of our platform. We’re able to help clients as demand for heavy-lift, long-endurance UAS continues to develop.”
Firefly: A Group 3 Heavy-Carry UAS Constructed for Trade
Firefly is a U.S.-manufactured, NDAA-compliant Group 3 quadcopter designed for industrial and expeditionary missions. Two folks can transport and deploy the plane — it matches behind an ordinary pickup truck.
On the core of the platform sits Parallel Flight’s patented Parallel Hybrid Electrical Multirotor (PHEM) propulsion system. PHEM allows Firefly to hold payloads as much as 100 lb (45 kg) whereas delivering endurance as much as 10x higher than all-electric UAS of comparable dimension. The system additionally provides 2 kW of steady in-flight energy to onboard payload programs — a significant benefit for sensor-heavy missions.
5 patents defend the platform. Firefly has acquired help from the Protection Innovation Unit (DIU), USDA, NASA, NSF, and the Workplace of Naval Analysis.
Goal Purposes for Business Heavy-Carry UAS Operations
With the exemption in place, Parallel Flight can now actively pursue industrial contracts throughout a number of demanding sectors. Goal use instances embrace:
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Wildland fireplace administration — delivering heavy sensors or suppression payloads to distant terrain
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Heavy sensor integration — powering onboard devices constantly throughout prolonged flight
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Industrial logistics — shifting high-mass cargo in austere environments the place floor automobiles can’t function
Firefly has undergone rigorous reliability testing over a number of years, and the corporate expects to ship preliminary buyer items this summer time.
Scaling Manufacturing to Meet Demand
Parallel Flight plans to proceed increasing Firefly’s accepted flight envelopes whereas scaling manufacturing to serve rising industrial market demand. The exemption additionally positions the corporate to transform its certified pipeline into lively buyer packages.
“Firefly has undergone rigorous reliability testing over the previous a number of years,” Stevens famous, “and the corporate expects to start delivery preliminary buyer items this summer time.”
Extra info on Parallel Flight and the Firefly is obtainable from their web site.
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