Boeing, SparkCognition Joint Venture Gains Key Integration With FAA

SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, has announced it has been approved by the FAA as a supplier of Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) services. Now a UAS Service Supplier (USS) of LAANC, the Austin-based company will accelerate its commitment to ensuring safe and secure integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the global airspace.

LAANC is a collaboration between the FAA and industry partners to help automate the application and approval process for airspace authorizations. The FAA service provides drone pilots with access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet and air traffic professionals with visibility into where and when drones are operating.

"LAANC integration is a key addition to the SkyGrid aerial operating system, which is focused on making UAV integration safer, more secure, and collaborative with regulators across the globe," said Amir Husain, CEO of SkyGrid. "By offering scalable and robust capabilities – from flight planning to autonomous cybersecurity – in a single, integrated framework, SkyGrid will make large-scale drone applications more practical and accessible."

SkyGrid's LAANC implementation will allow customers to seamlessly apply for flight approvals directly within the SkyGrid platform. This integration provides approval for commercial (Part 107 Near Real-Time Authorization and Part 107 Further Coordination) and recreational (Section 44809) LAANC functionality.

"Our goal is to collaborate across the globe as we develop this platform to safely enable the integration of autonomous cargo and passenger air vehicles in the global airspace," said Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt and a SkyGrid board member. "We're committed to making the skies safer and having the right digital infrastructure for reliable urban air mobility."

(Source: SkyGrid news release)

FMI: www.skygrid.com