Autonomous drone in a box: the new bright era of BVLOS aerial operations

The concept of "Drone in a Box" (DiB) isn't just tech jargon; it's a game-changer in the world of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Picture this: a self-contained, automated system that takes BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations to a new level. This innovation, which saw impressive growth with an estimated 39% annual rise between 2015 and 2022, is all about tackling the challenges that hold regular standalone drones back.
This growth, by the way, is significantly higher than the growth of the traditional drone sector (estimated at 15% CAGR) for a very good reason: it enables entirely new scenarios for UAV operations.

Think about it—traditional drones face quite a few hurdles. Over the past decade, almost 80% of drones struggled with limited flight times due to battery issues. Battery quality is often relatively low; manual battery replacement comes with its own risks.
Also, nearly two-thirds of drone mishaps were tied to the constant need for human monitoring and intervention. The range of communication and vulnerability to the elements? Those didn't make things easier, either. If your phone died during a flight, there was a good chance of you simply losing the drone, too.
Some might say that it has much to do with many drones suffering from poor engineering, and they will be correct. Yet the core component was (and is) total reliance on a human operator nearby. We don't want to say that manual drone operation is going anywhere. For instance, in cases like mineral surveying, where you have to cover thousands of square kilometers while moving around in rough terrain, driving around with a drone in a box makes little sense. This is what drones like Fortis are for.

Now, here's where things get interesting. Fueled by that impressive growth, the "Drone in a Box" system took the bull by the horns. It tackles the issues mentioned above head-on. No more constant pilot babysitting—this system independently handles the whole flying bit. And remember those times when extreme weather played a spoiler? Not anymore. The station shelters drones, ensuring smooth operations come snow, rain, or shine. Oh, and that communication puzzle? The best drone-in-a-box solutions come with built-in Wi-Fi, LTE, and RFD, pushing the connectivity up by over 60% based on some stats. 5G, of course, will make it even more reliable.
Technological advances made this possible and now offer unheard-of possibilities for commercial drones. The station operator could be thousands of kilometers away and plan and execute missions from the comfort of their office, which was previously reserved for operators of large military drones.

You won't believe how much climate control matters. Data spanning the last five years shows that keeping a controlled environment can drastically slash failure rates due to extreme conditions. That's a huge win, as it guarantees mission success, extends the drone's life by about 30-50%, and reduces maintenance costs.
This is one of the core reasons Microavia designed a weather-proof station, which can operate without supervision for months in temperatures ranging from -30C to +60C. We also took extra care to ensure the station functions in "dry" mode, avoiding unnecessary maintenance, and the climate control unit keeps spare batteries from overheating or freezing.

This is where the multi-channel communication magic of the "Drone in a Box" shines. It nips communication breakdowns in the bud by seamlessly switching between Wi-Fi, LTE, and RF. Real-time data transmission, even in far-off places, is becoming the norm.
Communication backup capabilities are essential for BVLOS operations, as the drone can still find its way back in case of communication failure. Another important feature is the data compression, which the Microavia IT team spent over a year developing. It is crucial if the connection quality between the drone and the station is poor due to weather or other effects.

Manual battery swapping being a prominent issue, drone-in-a-box customers have a question of their own: choosing between recharging and changing drone batteries. Battery swapping mechanism is more complex, technologically, and, potentially, costlier. However, over the past years, we see more organizations preferring it over recharging, and for good reason:
It has, potentially, 100x better efficiency in curbing downtime. This innovation was a real game-changer for long BVLOS missions or emergency flights. After all, if you use a drone in a box for 24/7 monitoring or first-response-type operations, you don't want to wait an hour for your battery to charge. This exact feedback is the reason why we opted to have our stations carry three swappable batteries.

The journey of the past years turned "Drone in a Box" into a genuine force in the BVLOS scene. Its remarkable growth, backed by real-world figures that showcased improved flight times, smarter connectivity, and battery management, is reshaping how we see drones. This system's perfect blend of advancements is set to redefine the entire drone landscape.
As a leading Dubai-based manufacturer of visionary drone solutions, Microavia is happy to push this opportunity forward. We hope our drone in a box will help make the World safer and more productive.

You can read more about the technical characteristics of one of the best DiBs in the market here and are welcome to reach out for a demo: