Unmanned aerial surveying company KaarbonTech is the first company in the UK to get the approval from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly commercially the new eBee, from Sensefly, with the announcement of the first 2 pilots approved by the CAA.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) implements a strict permissions system before allowing companies to operate in the UK. All pilots must pass flight tests to CAA standards and companies must have an approved operating manual showing how they complete surveys safely. KaarbonTech passed both areas with ‘flying colours’ in June, making them the first company with qualified pilots and an approved operating system.
Mark Entwistle explains “Safety is a number one priority for us with quality a close second. There are many operators and systems in the marketplace and we believe the eBee to be setting the standard in terms of both quality and safety”
The eBee, from Sensefly has a 16MP camera allowing it to shoot aerial imagery at down to 3cm/pixel resolution. The images can then be used to create maps and elevation models with a precision of 5cm.
Its aerodynamic profile allows cruising speeds of 36-57km/h (10-16m/s). The eBee can resist winds of up to 45km/h (12m/s) increasing the survey success rate in British weather.
KaarbonTech already provides aerial surveying across the UK using the Swinglet UAS, another Sensefly plane. They also process all their data in house to produce topographical maps, digital elevation models, volumetric measurements and orthomosaics for the complete service.
Photo: Newly qualified eBee Pilot Mark Entwistle (L) – KarbonTech
Source: Press Release