Drone-powered Logistics Provider Swoop Aero Partners with Iris Automation

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Australian drone-powered logistics company, Swoop Aero, and commercial drone safety innovator, Iris Automation, have entered into a partnership to offer Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone solutions to global clients seeking to safely unlock the skies above cities and solve logistics challenges in remote and rural areas.

Swoop Aero has extensive experience providing drone logistics services to customers requiring safe, sustainable transportation in areas where ground or traditional air access is inaccessible, too slow, or not economical. Its mission is to transform the way the world moves by making access to the skies seamless.

The partnership enhances Swoop Aero's ability to expand across global markets and support a broader range of customer missions by enabling the company to obtain complex operational approvals and certifications. Swoop Aero recently announced medical supply delivery operations with EBOS Healthcare in Australia and joined New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) airspace integration trial program. Both operations incorporate Iris Automation's Casia detect-and-avoid technology to improve air safety.

The announcement of the partnership follows Swoop Aero's recent unveiling of its new announced aircraft, Kite™, which has been designed with precision for urban flight and high-impact rural and remote operations. Swoop Aero considers Kite™ will be the most advanced aircraft in its category to progress through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification program in the USA. Kite™ is the centerpiece of Swoop Aero's full technology stack, including hardware, software, and supporting infrastructure. Kite™ will likewise support the integration of Iris Automation's Casia detect-and-avoid technology as part of its suite of safety features available to meet operational and customer requirements.

Swoop Aero deploys its proprietary drone logistics platform into networks capable of delivering essential supplies to urban, rural and remote areas globally. Building on its experience in some of the hardest places to reach in the world, the organisation has enabled the integration of Iris Automation's detect-and-avoid (DAA) technology, Casia, into the Swoop Aero drone logistics infrastructure to enable the safe integration of manned and unmanned aviation into global supply chains in various settings and regions. The Iris Automation Casia system detects other aircraft and makes intelligent decisions about the threat they may pose to the drone. It then works seamlessly with the Swoop Aero system to trigger automated maneuvers to avoid collisions, as well as alerting the pilot in command of the mission. Iris also partners with Swoop on airspace integration regulatory resources.

"With two leading drone innovators coming together we can drive the safe integration of autonomous aircraft into even more critical areas. A DAA solution is the last great challenge preventing complex operational approvals and certification in countries like Australia and the United States. This partnership showcases the innovation inherent in our platform, and our commitment to safety," says Eric Peck, CEO and co-founder of Swoop Aero.

"Swoop Aero is a great example of how commercial drone services are evolving, meeting numerous critical use cases around the world. We are seeing the leading players in the space make investments in safety, and Swoop is one of the firms leading the charge to ensure the safe and efficient integration of uncrewed aircraft into existing national airspaces around the world. Demand for these use cases is highest in regions with stringent air safety standards and avoiding mid-air collisions is the most important aspect of reducing air-risk. An innovator like Swoop Aero is doing the right things to safely introduce aerial services to deliver essential supplies to previously inaccessible areas and we are excited to partner with them on this mission," says Jon Damush, CEO of Iris Automation.