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SafePath Aviation Network (SPAN)

a group of operations personnel surround a drone that is taking off to perform inspection

Overview

SafePath Aviation Network (SPAN) is a purpose-built, high-performance interconnected communication network that enables the safe, efficient, and scalable deployment of autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) for infrastructure inspection.

 

Leveraging existing cellular networks, SPAN facilitates real-time communication, data sharing, and situational awareness, ensuring that drone operations are conducted seamlessly and safely over large areas.

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SPAN is specifically configured to cover autonomous aviation over private infrastructure, ensuring security and compliance to C2 and data payload service levels.

Connectivity as a Service

SPAN enables enterprises to:

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  • perform predictive connectivity risk assessment
    (C2 and Data Payload)

  • enable connectivity monitoring

  • provide network redundancy 

  • cover 10s of thousands of sq km of infrastructure cost effectively 

  • put real-time 'eyes-on-sight' in minutes

  • provide fleet data pooling

  • improve anomaly prediction

  • reduce operational costs​​​

Safety

Autonomous data collection  minimizes exposure to hazardous or remote environments, leading to improved safety and compliance.

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Continuous data collection improves infrastructure resiliency and operational readiness.

Infrastructure Applications That Benefit from SPAN

1

Infrastructure Inspection

Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors are being used to inspect pipelines, power lines, wind turbines, and solar panels. These drones provide real-time data and reduce the need for manual inspections, which are often risky and time-consuming.

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2

Predictive Maintenance

By integrating AI and machine learning with drone operations, energy companies can analyze drone-captured data to predict equipment failures before they happen. This approach minimizes downtime and reduces maintenance costs.​​

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3

Environmental Monitoring

Energy companies are deploying drones to monitor environmental conditions around their operations, detecting gas leaks, emissions, and other environmental hazards. This capability is essential for compliance with regulatory requirements and for minimizing the environmental impact of energy production.

4

Disaster Response

In the event of natural disasters or industrial accidents, drones can quickly assess damage and provide critical information for response efforts. This rapid assessment capability is vital for minimizing downtime and ensuring the safety of personnel.

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SPAN Features That Scale Operations

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1

Continuous Performance

SPAN offers continuous performance for both control and payload connectivity. Accurate connectivity performance profiles allow UAV operators to assess connectivity risks and implement mitigations effectively.
Continuous performance is critical for networking remote sites and ensuring the secure upload and validation of valuable data during flight, reducing the need for follow-on flights due to data corruption or loss.​

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2

Operational Readiness

SPAN does not require repeated setup and teardown of radio equipment as private networks. This enables UAV operators to quickly scale, extend, or relocate coverage to meet customer demand or respond to unplanned events. The ClearSky SPAN network can be defined over operational areas for control and payload connectivity, improving time to flight and increasing revenue opportunities by enhancing operational readiness.​​

3

Simplicity

ClearSky SPAN simplifies the assessment of connectivity performance by distilling hundreds of parameters into comprehensive heat maps within a flight path. This allows pilots to predict connectivity performance, facilitating accurate risk assessment and mitigation. The collection of empirical connectivity data further refines and calibrates the model, providing situational awareness that protects UAVs in case of unplanned outages or events.

4

Redundancy

SPAN is designed with built-in cellular redundancy, allowing for seamless frequency hand-offs between radios. This design principle provides advanced hand-off redundancy and safety, which single-source private radios cannot match. ClearSky’s ability to measure performance across multiple radios and technologies ensures connectivity redundancy at altitude, essential for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.​​​​

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