The FAA’s Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety announced yesterday that the Optimus-1EX Uncrewed Aircraft was granted a Type Certificate during Commercial UAV Expo held in Las Vegas.
Airobotics, an Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS) company, is currently the first and only US company that can provide a permanent “Drone-in-a-Box” with a Type Certification and operate it in complex urban environments.
WALTHAM, Mass. , Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Airobotics Inc. (“Airobotics” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) was granted an Airworthiness Type Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its Optimus-1EX. The FAA’s Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Mr. David Boulter has announced the grant of the Type Certificate during Commercial UAV Expo held in Las Vegas. Airobotics Optimus-1EX is the second ever Uncrewed Aircraft to receive this certification and the first “Drone-in-a-Box solution”, designated for fully automated drone operations for emergency response and digital data capturing to obtain this status from the FAA.
“We are thrilled to be the only US company currently to have the capability to deploy fully automated drones with Type Certificate in the US as permanent aerial infrastructures in populated and complex environments,” said Meir Kliner, Airobotics’ CEO. “Drones without an airworthiness certificate face great obstacles in obtaining waivers to operate over people and active roads, and we believe that our Type certified Optimus-1EX drone will soon be deployed in a broader range of scenarios. The last type certificate given by the FAA was for a package delivery drone and now we have opened the opportunity for more lifesaving applications such as Drone First Responding (DFR), rapid infrastructure survey for disaster relief applications and more.”
The first-of-its-kind certification for a non-air carrier UA was achieved after four years of intensive engineering and operational review processes conducted by the FAA. The Optimus System is already operating regularly in urban environments in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Airobotics plans to leverage their experience in the UAE, and their newly type-certificated vehicle, to conduct similar operations in urban environments across the U.S., aligning with the Company’s vision of deploying fleets of Optimus Systems as a permanent drone infrastructure. This infrastructure aims to provide Smart City solutions, enhance public safety, enable Drone as a First Responder (DFR) capabilities, and offer various commercial and industrial aerial data services.
About Airobotics
Airobotics is a manufacturer and operator of autonomous Unmanned Aircraft (UAs) systems and solutions. Airobotics UAs are used for Government, Industrial, and commercial services, providing automated data capture and analysis and other unmanned aerial services, performed 24/7 without human intervention, addressing the needs of the world’s most complex environments.
Airobotics is held by Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) (“Ondas”) and is focused on data capturing in urban environments. It stands as the first non-air carrier vehicle to achieve it among numerous companies pursuing UAS type certification with the FAA. The Optimus System ranks among the most mature automated drone platforms in the market in terms of proven reliability, safety, and value. Ondas believes the Type Certificate presents a game-changing solution for local governments and commercial entities seeking to streamline aerial data capture using a safe and certified airworthy UAS. Airobotics drones are already deployed in the UAE and Israel and rely on fleets of automated drones that operate without on-the-ground human intervention. These drones function as a task force, simultaneously collecting and providing critical information for various customer requirements. Each Optimus System, networked as fleet infrastructure, includes a smart airbase enabling automated battery changes for 24/7 operations. It also facilitates automated loading and installation of sensors suited for each specified mission. Optimus drones cover a perimeter of up to 30 square miles surrounding an airbase. Drone flights can be tasked with specific sensors, enabling diverse tasks within the fleet. Complex, longer-term operations can be activated, overseen by remote operators in a command-and-control center.
About Ondas Holdings Inc.
Ondas Holdings Inc. (“Ondas”) is a leading provider of private wireless data solutions via Ondas Networks Inc. (“Ondas Networks”) and commercial drone solutions through American Robotics, Inc. (“American Robotics” or “AR”) and Airobotics LTD (“Airobotics”), which we operate as a separate business unit called Ondas Autonomous Systems. For additional information on Ondas Holdings, visit www.ondas.com or follow Ondas Holdings on Twitter and LinkedIn. For additional information on Ondas Networks, visit www.ondasnetworks.com or follow Ondas Networks on Twitter and LinkedIn. For additional information on American Robotics, visit www.american-robotics.com or follow American Robotics on Twitter and LinkedIn. For additional information on Airobotics, visit www.airoboticsdrones.com or follow Airobotics on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Information on our websites and social media platforms is not incorporated by reference in this release or in any of our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution readers that forward-looking statements are predictions based on our current expectations about future events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Our actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” discussed under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Part I of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or any updates discussed under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Part II of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise that occur after that date, except as required by law.
Contacts
Media Contact for Airobotics
Eitan Rotberg
SVP Product Marketing
[email protected]
IR Contact for Ondas Holdings Inc.
888.350.9994 x1019
[email protected]
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW4VihihKPw
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJqpWfO7qQ
SOURCE Airobotics
