This is what ResilienX did with their launch of the On-Demand Regional Intelligent Operations Network (OrionX), a data-as-a-service solution enabled by drones. The initial launch of the solution took place during the recent Aerial Cities event.
ResilienX states its mission is to enable BVLOS operations and protect the world from autonomous error. As the industry is moving toward this goal rather slowly, the company looked to innovate their business model. This is challenge across many regions where drone-focused businesses are impacted by the slow regulatory movement and some struggle to find a viable business model in the short term.
Shifting the focus to what’s a business model for now, that doesn’t have to wait on things they cannot control resulted in a new idea. OrionX is the outcome of this innovation, an on-demand drone aerial service. Customers who want data (inspection, public safety, construction within cities for example) don’t or shouldn’t care how the data is acquired. Drones are the enablers, but that’s on the shoulders of ResilienX.
How does it work?
They own the drones and the customer orders what data they need. This could be a road inspection, pictures of properties for real estate firms, permit checks for housing authorities, etc. The drone-in-a-box solution receives a request, schedules a risk-aware flight path considering network connectivity and weather, and when the task is complete the client gets a link to download their data. Sounds like a pretty simple solution for the users of the service. This really changes the game for organisations who are sending out people to do this work today or trying to understand how they can bring drones in to support their needs without buying and managing them.
Technology
Most of the routes would be urban and the plan is to fly with LTE redundant communications with satellite backup if this scenario is applicable to the location. 50-80% of the use cases considered today can be addressed by a good multi-copter such as Skydio, Nokia, or DJI matrice. Over time there could be fixed wing drones for inspection and when loitering above an area is required. LiDAR could be incorporated for drone bridge inspection.
Today the drones are flown by part 135 certified drone pilots in a BVLOS one to many configuration under an FAA waiver. There is a single remote operations centre that will expand to many locations in the future as the client base grows. The ResilienX in-time aviation safety management system (IASMS) is paired with the OneSky UTM platform to provide airspace management for the flights.
A possibility for the future is to support managed first responder flights with prioritisation within the network to respond to realtime incidents. Think of clearing the roads for emergency vehicles to pass, but in the air.
Michigan Central as the launching customer
OrionX has moved beyond trials with the announcement of its launching customer. This is an exciting first step to demonstrate the viability of this concept beyond a trial. As this business model proves out the evolution we could see is to expand within the US and possibly look to international locations via a tech stack licensing model.
