Listen to this articleOlearis has developed AEVA, the first civilian unmanned aircraft capable of flying almost anywhere across cities and counties without restrictions or limitations, just like helicopters or jets. This means Olaeris can do most things helicopters can do, but for about 1/10th the cost.
Below is our interview with Ted Lindsley CEO of Olearis:
Q: How is AEVA©, different from drones?
A: We’re an aircraft company. Drone companies avoid that moniker because they don’t want to comply with expensive FAA safety requirements. That’s why drones are restricted. They pose a serious danger to other aircraft. AEVA© was designed to meet the same FAA safety requirements Bell, Airbus and Boeing do. So unlike drones, FAA regulators have given Olaeris a big “thumbs up”.
Q: Why aren’t other drone companies doing the same thing?
A: Good question. The short answer is, they don’t know how, it’s expensive, and it takes 2-3 years to complete certification. Venture capital investors backed all of those drone companies. Amazingly, investors never vetted them properly or FAA safety requirements that would limit drone operations. Now the industry is beginning to realize they all went the wrong direction. Turning around will be expensive.
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Q: What industries and service applications is AEVA designed for?
A: AEVA© can do most jobs helicopters do, but at 1/10th the operating cost. Pipeline monitoring, power line inspections, perimeter security, border patrol, sports and news broadcasting, organ transfers, medical deliveries, and emergency response are just a few examples. She really is the 21st Century replacement to the helicopter.
Q: What’s ‘under the hood’ that makes AEVA so different?
A: Drones are dumb machines that are simply radio-controlled toys. They have no onboard intelligence to make emergency decisions. AEVA is an intelligent robot, constantly sensing her surroundings and able to make flight path decisions based on changing conditions. There’s always a certified helicopter pilot in command, but 87% of all aviation accidents are attributed to human error. We had to make AEVA smarter than a human pilot.
Q: You’ve won 6 patents this year already. Why is the 4G flight-control patent so important to your industry?
A: Right now drones are controlled by WiFi, which has a very limited range and no safety backup if the connection is lost. That’s a serious limitation. Our 4G Cellular Control Link is a safer and more reliable way to control drones nationwide. It uses multiple, scramble-encrypted 4G SIMM cards to create a multi-redundant, hack-resistant control link that works nationwide. We designed it to become the industry standard and help drones evolve to their next generation.
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Q: What success milestones has Olaeris achieved?
A: We’re the only company undertaking type class certification with the FAA like jets. That puts us 2-3 years ahead of any competitor. We’ve signed $95 Million in firm aircraft orders and have about $100 Million more in our pipeline. We’ve earned 6 patents in 2017 and have 13 more pending at present. And, two cities have signed Letters of Intent to integrate our technology citywide into their 911 emergency response operations after we complete certification.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Olaeris is shopping for our next round of equity financing now. The aviation industry and FAA regulators have already accepted Olaeris so we’re in a much better position than Amazon, Google, and other drone companies making inferior products. After funding, we will conclude FAA certification, begin delivering the $95 Million in orders, and advance our IP beyond the 19 patents already issued or pending. Projections indicate sales over $500 Million per year by 2022. However, we will begin getting acquisition offers as soon as AEVA completes FAA certification which is less than 12 months away. That’s when the fun really begins.
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