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Groundstation Achieves Historic Milestone: Remote Drone Operations Approval in South Africa

December 18, 2024

We have just reached an exciting milestone: our AI software GoodAI Groundstation has received approval from the South African Civil Aviation Authority for remote drone operations! This opens up new possibilities for how drones can be controlled and deployed at scale.

Breakthrough in Remote Operations

In a live demonstration for the South African Civil Aviation Authority officials, our team successfully controlled a drone in South Africa from Prague – an impressive 9,500 km apart! From now on, a single pilot in a central control room can use GoodAI Groundstation to legally operate multiple drones stationed at different locations, transforming the possibilities for drone fleet management.

GoodAI COO Olga Afanasjeva controlling the drone from Prague while it performs a mission in South Africa – 9,500 km away

This breakthrough was achieved in partnership with Integrated Aerial Systems, one of the first South African drone operators approved for remote missions. Uniquely, together we’re the first to roll out Groundstation nationwide for flexible deployment, without requiring drone-in-a-box solutions.

Proven Simplicity & Safety

Thanks to Groundstation’s intelligent AI tracking features and intuitive user interface, the pilots can easily manage the complexity of drone operations and safely navigate the unpredictable real-world scenarios. 

See Groundstation’s intuitive design in action as our developer’s 7-year-old son pilots a drone with ease!

Real-World Impact: Community Safety Project 

The technology is already making a difference in Cape Town. Our collaboration with Community Crime Prevention Hout Bay has resulted in 12 high-impact operations in complex urban environments, including one that led to successful suspect apprehension. We’ve also conducted numerous Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights and patrols. The project is now moving into its next phase, with local team members being trained for independent operations.

Hout Bay, Cape Town: where our partnership with Community Crime Prevention is making a difference

With South African Civil Aviation Authority approval secured and real-world implementations underway, we’re excited to see how Groundstation will continue transforming drone operations across the world. Through our focus on AI and autonomy, we’re working to turn robots into true collaborative partners – intelligent companions that enhance human capabilities.

Learn more on our Groundstation website.

When wildlife decides to play air traffic control: our patient drone waiting for this tortoise to complete a “safety inspection” of the landing zone

 

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