Flylogix wants to invest in two Scottish drone bases. Here's why - Charles Tavner

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With the right environment we can create jobs while tackling North Sea methan emissions, says Charles Tavner.

Drone technology stands on the precipice of a revolution. Already there is work under way to scope out its use in our major cities for vital medical deliveries. Even eVTOL “flying taxis”, which might sound like something out of science fiction, are now firmly in the near-term scope as the future of air mobility.

It’s a question of when, not if. The technology is being developed – in many cases it’s already there – but creating the right regulatory environment is vital to unlocking this revolution.

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Another key application for drone technology is in the North Sea where methane emissions can be up to 80x more potent than CO2. The industry is working to address this problem, but it needs detection and verification technology at scale.

Why we want to invest in two Scottish drone basesWhy we want to invest in two Scottish drone bases
Why we want to invest in two Scottish drone bases

This is where Flylogix sees huge potential and, with the right regulatory environment, we plan to invest in two drone bases in Scotland, specifically in Shetland and Angus, to service the sector.

Our long-distance drones can fly hundreds of miles to detect emissions in a cost-effective, clean and safe manner.

They’re already doing that with some of the largest operators, with rising demand levels. However, we cannot create a true “on demand” service as things stand; a job requiring three months of airspace currently takes nine months for planning and approvals, and there is no question of us flying in an emergency, when firm numbers on methane leaks are most strongly required.

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This comes amid a raft of targets from government and regulators, underpinned by law, putting increased pressure on operators to cut down on methane emissions and invest in verification and detection technology. The House of Lords recently questioned whether regulators were taking operators’ “word for it” on emissions numbers.

The solution is a wide-scale system of monitoring across the North Sea, owned by the regulator, to ensure we’re tackling the problem effectively.

How to overcome this challenge? There is an opportunity on the horizon very soon.

In the new year, we are conducting a six-month airspace trial with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which will effectively open up the North Sea to the use of our drones to tackle these challenges.

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As well as allowing us to detect and verify methane emissions, this trial will act as a blueprint for the aforementioned use of drones in our cities.

Airspace regulation, flying drones in airspace shared by helicopters, is not something which can be rushed – safety will always be the utmost priority.

With the expertise of the CAA, our cutting-edge technology, and the industry, this can be achieved safely, cost-effectively and with far lower carbon footprint than sending crews out to individual platforms to monitor emissions.

However, this is only a six-month trial. In order to hit government and industry net zero targets right out to 2050, it needs to be expanded.

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That’s why, in a success case, we want to see this trial made permanent to allow us to create a regulator-led system of methane monitoring across the North Sea to allow us to confidently tackle the problem. This will allow us to produce oil and gas for as long as it remains a key part of our energy system, rather than increased reliance on imports, while ensuring a managed transition to clean energy for our workforce.

With that in place, we will have the business case to expand operations with two Scottish drone bases. Methane is just the start: there’s a whole range of applications for drone usage, including agriculture, renewable energy and defence.

The North Sea has been at the heart of technology development and energy demand for the last 60 years. Now it has the chance to be at the forefront of the technology revolution as we shift to clean energy.

Charles Tavner, CEO, Flylogix

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