Donte Hunt Establishing Aerial Drone Business

July 3, 2014

Bermudian Donte Hunt is establishing a new business to operate unmanned reconnaissance aircraft that can fly for 20 hours streaming back live high definition video to the Island.

The state-of-the-art Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] can provide aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services which he said could help in drug interdiction, monitoring the Island’s Exclusive Economic Zone, search and rescue operations and assessing post hurricane damage.

Mr Hunt said: “We currently have very little idea of what is happening in the seas around us. The rapid growth in the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by governments, militaries and law enforcement agencies around the globe is testament to value of this technology.”

drone

He has spent the last five years establishing Aerial Visual Solutions [AVS] and said he is now finalizing details allowing him to operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle [UAV] ‘beyond line of sight’ – the highest level of certification – from the Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation.

Mr Hunt said he has “secured exclusive altitude airspace from Bermuda’s Air Traffic Control as well as a license in principal from the Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation, pending a live demonstration of the technology.”

In addition, he said he “has also obtained an export license from the US Department of Commerce – a license is required due to the highly sensitive nature of the sophisticated equipment which poses a potential viable threat to the United States.

A statement from the company said, “He also has clearance from the US Department of State, Department of Defense and Department of Energy.

“The company’s target customers are governments and militaries who have complex and intensive aerial imagery requirements.

“The Bermuda National Security and Defence Review, released in May, recommended the expansion of the Regiment’s existing boat troop “in an enforcement role to protect the EEZ and improve internal security”.

However, Mr Hunt said he believes that would be “too costly and inefficient” and added: “With unmanned aerial support it would mean utilizing just one boat for intercepting suspect vessels while using a drone for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“In terms of performance, an aerial perspective is far more effective in the detection of targets than operating from a sea level perspective.

“The size of a boat required to operate effectively offshore would make it completely incapable of conducting stealth operations which is necessary for gathering evidence.

“The most immediate advantage of UAV’s with respect to manned vehicles is cost. UAV’s of this type are much less expensive to build, maintain and operate, yet they yield high performance results and can be used for many different and useful applications.

“The flight duration also exceeds a manned aircraft capability and they are quieter than conventional aircraft.

“They really are the most cost-effective and sensible solution to the issue of patrolling the seas around our Island.”

The UAV would be operated from a Ground Control Station by a crew consisting of four personnel; a Pilot in Command, a Payload Operator and two engineers who are responsible for maintenance and airworthiness of the aircraft.

Mr Hunt said AVS will offer scholarships to Kansas State University “with a view that these local recipients will assume an operator role within AVS as a UAV pilot and engineer”.

He added: “The scholarships would include obtaining a manned aircraft private pilot’s license. This would be a great opportunity for young Bermudians to commence an exciting career within a rapidly growing industry.”

The UAV has a wingspan of 10.8ft, can be launched from virtually anywhere using a pneumatic catapult and can land like a conventional airplane, can deploy a parachute or land into a specially designed net. It has a cruising speed of between 70 kph and 80 kph, a maximum level speed of 130 kph and a maximum ceiling of 15,000ft.

It carries the latest in camera technology capable of high definition daytime and nighttime imaging with the ability to identify a target the size of a milk carton from an altitude that is undetectable from maritime and terrestrial targets, Mr. Hunt said.

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Comments (17)

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  1. Make sure you have interactive realtime communicatios set up with airport,you must know lives are at stake with air travel etc.Also shift changes have to over lapse ,as 20 hours is unrealistic for the awareness that has to transpire for safe flight…..also ….please tell me trillium is “not”,the energy source…

    • David says:

      I would suspect that the Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation would not issue a “license in principal…pending a live demonstration..” if real time comms with ATC is not in place and if consideration for shift changes were not addressed by the company. Its similar to the BDCA giving out licenses to anyone who wants to fly a private jet but does not have a private pilots license.

      • Black Soil says:

        Spot those illegal foreign fishing vessels bro Donte.

  2. nuffin but the truth says:

    Memo:-
    1)No more skinny dipping or nakkid sunbathing in ya pool or garden.

    2)Big Brother is not part of Big Brothers and Sisters!

    • howzat says:

      The story appears to indicate that the drone would be used for only maritime purposes by the Government (if they use this service). In any rate, I don’t think that the Government would be interested nor legally able to spy on people in the privacy of their home / property. I’m all for cost effective solutions like this! We need to cautiously and intellectually embrace technology.

      • Concerned Citizen says:

        Did you say that when the PLP proposed the idea? Doubt it! Keep working at it Donte, it’s a good idea.

      • Sailboat says:

        Cost effective for whom? The people of Bermuda? Hardly. If this thing is supposed to start up at a $1M you are already behind the Eight Ball given the alternatives. A rated crew of 4 will still need to be paid, maintenance will still need to be done. These, too, come at a cost. Other, less expensive and operationally-practical options can be staffed with one.

        The range and endurance is greater with this system, which is great, but what operation in Bermuda that you know of requires 20hrs of flight time?

        The Government is better off underwriting a fixed-wing or rotor-wing asset. It is the tax payer who will be the ones paying Mr. Hunt’s bills, whether that be at the outset or in the long run. Same for any vendor, but at least subscribe to a more usable and flexible flight system.

        And what makes even more sense is for an aircraft to come under the Police or this coast guard that everybody keeps promising. At least that way the government won’t need to be bogged down with the complexities of contracts with private companies. It would be a government asset.

  3. Conservative says:

    didn’t someone tell the investor that 60 / 40 can now be waived on making an application to the Ministry of Finance?

  4. Yeti says:

    Let me reword this thing about time in the air etc…you will….need radar in front of you…a signal must be from plane to said radar.Shift must not be more than well say air traffic controllers!…..pilots are often overworked…and often work more hours than they should,why you have pilot and co pilot…in case something happens (diarrea…anything really ,diabetic coma,the unforseen….contingencies should be address.Your piloting a plane but you are in communications with it from affar two people still,and time watching a screen and a radar….and another tracking incomming commercial flight…weather….solar flares,radiation associated withit,electromagnetic anomoly wind weather and the onboard camera.You cannot just say whoops with a commercial flight….and by the way….who do I call to make sure your plane is not in the air if I want to hop on a flight going overseas…or comming back….seriously….I need to know in detail….Faith hope and charity are Gods’ purvue.

  5. Yeti says:

    You also have a line to a meteorologist all the time your in the air..all the things a plane has,and a commercial flight has,you have to have before you go in the air with them

  6. Yeti says:

    There are private , commercial ,and military flights rolling through this area liability insurance is prohibitive ,for the adverage commercial flight there can be I don’t know 300 or 200 people,do you have any idea what the liability premiums are for that many people?Now you might not be carrying passengers,but these other flights surely have….and you are working at a hub where they are ,do you have clearance for military aircraft control ,sometimes vp people come on those this will probably preclude you taking to the air….but if anything untoward were to transpire then….we would all be screwed.If your signal i terfered with any flight it could be curtains too….you are not the first cowboy the rope that steer!

    • DamonDae says:

      Yeti, I am sure that your concerns have all been considered and dealt with by the Bermuda Department Civil Aviation (BDCA) and the company respectively. It is almost insulting to think that the BDCA would just let someone or a company operate a sophisticated aircraft without proper checks and balances, contingencies, aviation considerations, approved operating procedures and the like. The BDCA is a proper internationally recognized and respected civil aviation authority that is staffed by experienced aviators. The company operating the drones will want to protect their investment – I heard on tv news last night that the drone system costs approx. $1 million. With that type of capital invested, the company would naturally ensure that the assets are operated by trained and experienced pilots with solid understanding of aviation (including weather / meteorology). While your concerns are valid, they are ultimately a non-starter.

      GREAT IDEA! Go for it Bermuda!

  7. Farmer Giles says:

    Does “cujus est solum ejus est usque ad coelum”, (for whoever owns the soil owns too the heavens) apply to Bermuda law? Does the concept/premiss of “Navigable Airspace” exist in Bermuda and does it apply to the former “cujus est solum ejus est usque ad coelum”? If Navigable Airspace does exist in Bermuda law, what’s the altitude defined?

    These two points, if they have bearing in Bermuda law, could be a way to exercise the principals of this drone business.

    Don’t be quick to forfeit your rights to privacy when statements such as “in an enforcement role to protect the EEZ and improve internal security” are bandied about – terms and conditions may apply.

    • Word up says:

      Good point. The article suggests that the drone will be used exclusively for maritime purposes (aside from post hurricane analysis).

      Its interesting that we have had manned helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft flying over our heads for decades and we have said absolutely nothing (that I can recall) of privacy concerns. Scott Stallard used helicopters to take those wonderful aerial photos that are so very popular – many of us saw and heard the ‘chopper’ in flight over our houses yet silence on any issue of privacy. Every major city in the US has a police department that operates manned helicopters equipped with camera technology identical to that of certain large drones…yet silence on the privacy issue (or at least very little said). Why do we focus so much on a privacy issue with drones as a posed to manned aircraft. STRANGE!

  8. Yes I says:

    They need to use this to find out where all that oil that’s floating around the island is coming from!!!!!!

  9. Justice! says:

    It carries the latest in camera technology capable of high definition daytime and nighttime imaging with the ability to identify a target the size of a milk carton from an altitude that is undetectable from maritime and terrestrial targets, Mr. Hunt said.

    Yes, word from the street says keep an eye on the milk cartons.

  10. bermudaboy says:

    Not too sure I want my plane to bump into this drone coming into or leaving the Island. Sorry Mr. Hunt but, not in my back yard.