FAA Clears Percepto for Record BVLOS Drone Altitude
Percepto has secured a groundbreaking authorization from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, enabling its unmanned drone-in-a-box systems to operate at 200 feet above ground level without a pilot or visual observer on site. This represents a doubling of the permitted altitude for highly automated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (HA BVLOS) operations in the United States, opening the door to expanded monitoring capabilities for larger areas and taller structures. Applications such as mapping, modeling, and inspection of industrial assets stand to benefit from the increased operational envelope.
Central to this achievement is Percepto’s automated detect-and-avoid (DAA) system. By autonomously identifying and responding to the presence of other aircraft in the vicinity, the system removes the requirement for remote pilot intervention during potential airspace conflicts. This automatic deconfliction capability is a critical step toward future deployment of centrally managed drone fleets across multiple sites, where human oversight could be minimized without compromising safety.
The FAA’s current authorization applies specifically to a large solar power facility in Texas. However, Percepto intends to leverage the operational model for industries such as oil and gas, mining, and utilities. In these sectors, automated remote inspections could streamline preventive maintenance, enhance safety, and reduce costs. The company’s vision is to integrate autonomous aerial monitoring into routine operations, allowing infrastructure managers to detect issues before they escalate.
The regulatory context for this milestone traces back to early 2022, when the FAA released the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee (UAV BVLOS ARC) report. That document outlined research into enabling safe, scalable, and economically viable BVLOS operations outside of positive air traffic control environments. Over the preceding five years, the FAA had engaged in multiple initiatives—including the UAS Integration Pilot Program, Partnership for Safety Plans, and the ongoing BEYOND program—to refine performance criteria for BVLOS safety.
In late 2022, Percepto obtained a nationwide BVLOS waiver, allowing compliant U.S. sites to operate drones remotely without site-specific FAA approvals. This waiver accelerated deployment of the company’s automated inspection and monitoring solutions, removing procedural bottlenecks that often delay adoption. The combination of last year’s waiver and the new altitude authorization reflects the FAA’s incremental approach to integrating advanced unmanned systems into the national airspace.
“Gaining this approval marks a significant milestone to provide remote and autonomous inspections at industrial sites, fulfilling Percepto’s mission to provide safe and reliable critical infrastructure,” said Neta Gliksman, Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs at Percepto. “We are grateful to the FAA for their diligence in reviewing Percepto’s safety case, and we look forward to continue to support the critical infrastructure community across the US.”
While the current limit is 200 feet for BVLOS flights, the BVLOS ARC has proposed that drones, rather than manned aircraft, should have right of way below approximately 400 feet in the future. Dor Abuhasira, Percepto’s CEO and Co-Founder, stated, “in 2023, we’ll see the fruits of FAA, with more nationwide BVLOS approvals and more highly automated BVLOS approvals. This process is the foundation for the next nationwide highly automated BVLOS approval—the holy grail we are waiting for—until a permanent BVLOS law will come into effect.”
From an engineering perspective, the operational gains are substantial. Higher permitted altitudes improve line-of-sight for sensors, reduce the number of repositioning maneuvers, and enable comprehensive coverage of vertical assets such as wind turbines or transmission towers. The DAA system’s integration demonstrates the maturation of onboard autonomy, combining real-time sensing with decision-making algorithms to meet regulatory safety thresholds. For industries balancing asset reliability with workforce safety, such capabilities mark a tangible step toward fully automated aerial infrastructure management.
