What Happened
Drone Operations Expand Beyond Visual Line Of Sight
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an authorization for Skyways to fly drones beyond the operator’s visual line of sight over the Gulf of Mexico. The company will operate its autonomous V2 aircraft from Shell’s facility in Louisiana to a platform in the Gulf, demonstrating the potential for drones to support critical infrastructure and offshore operations. The FAA approved the operations under Section 927 of the Reauthorization Act of 2024, and Skyways has also announced the launch of its Skyreach platform, a long-range autonomous VTOL cargo aircraft. This development was first reported by Unmanned airspace.