We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Teong Soo Soon, the Senior Vice President and Head of Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Business Unit of ST Engineering Aerospace Ltd (STEA) under the Singapore Technologies Engineering Group, to learn more about how ST Engineering has developed DroNet, a valuable turnkey drone network solution that addresses diverse use cases. This includes drones with required safety qualifications for flight over populated areas. ST Engineering’s DroNet solution is the first to be approved for BVLOS operations in Singapore by the Civil Aviation Authority Singapore (CAAS). It allows multiple drone operations, coupled with the relevant AI models, to provide actionable insights to end users.
What is ST Engineering’s DroNet Solution?
DroNet is a smart, uncrewed aircraft network solution with over 18,000 logged flight sorties, designed for autonomous operations in urban environments. It supports various applications, including perimeter security, surveillance, inspection, and lightweight deliveries. DroNet integrates autonomous UAS networks with artificial intelligence, reducing operator workload while providing real-time aerial video analytics and data sharing. Capable of identifying vessels or people in water, it can deliver live video streams and alerts directly to mobile devices. Its multifunctional platform can unify small-scale operational networks into a city-wide UAS network, enhancing security and convenience with potential military applications.
Key Components of ST Engineering’s DroNet
There are four main components that make up DroNet: Unmanned Aircraft, DroHub, DroPort, and DroConnect.
Unmanned Aircraft: As an uncrewed aircraft, DroNet was specifically designed for BVLOS flight operations. It incorporates robust flight management features, network capabilities and redundancies to ensure safe operations in urban environments.
DroHub: DroHub is the centralised command and control station. It was designed as a multi-UAV command control centre and is integrated with video analytics capabilities.
DroPort: DroPort is an independent, all-weather, remote UAS on-demand docking and charging station. It can be placed in harsh environments to house UAS. It also has automated battery and payload swapping capabilities to ensure mission continuity.
DroConnect: DroConnect is a web-based viewing system available on mobile devices for video analytics and statistical analysis that is capable of collecting and distributing data in real-time for increased safety and efficiency.
Soo Soon highlights that the DroNet solution is anchored upon several key capability thrusts. DroNet was designed to meet stringent aviation safety requirements, such as the EASA’s SAIL IV qualification requirements and has already been approved in Singapore for flight over people. The solution has also been structured for BVLOS flight operations using docking stations that can automatically replace batteries and payloads. DroNet has been developed with the best cybersecurity practices that meet Singapore’s stringent government data protection requirements and has incorporated AI models for use cases such as surveillance anomaly detectors and large infrastructure defect inspections. These advanced capabilities make DroNet a highly reliable and versatile platform for complex urban and industrial applications.
DroNet Solution Launch and Development
Teong Soo Soon shared that ST Engineering Aerospace (STEA) has been developing capabilities for defence related UAS since early 2000, with over 20 years of experience and capabilities in BVLOS related design and flight operations. In 2016, he saw the potential for new commercial UAS opportunities and the worldwide positive shift in the acceptance of testing drones for various applications. It was in 2018 that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) published the first guidelines on UAS BVLOS operations. This publication inspired STEA to diversify and pivot to develop commercial UAS solutions with their highly experienced engineering team. Soo Soon knew that the focus must be on a BVLOS UAS solution, targeting higher-risk operations, since most consumer drones were only allowed to be used within low risk category.
STEA has a strong background in aviation safety design practices and culture, which differentiates them from tech startups that use open-source systems. Soo Soon shared, “Our knowledge on conducting safe operations and in-house designed systems has enabled us to obtain the first BVLOS permit from the CAAS in 2019, and three years later, in 2022, obtained medium risk approval for flights over people”.
After almost 5 years of developing the medium-high risk UAS capabilities, STEA is now ready to take on medium risk SAIL IV qualification with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other regulators to help fulfil use cases within populated areas as opposed to where consumer drones are operating.
Soo Soon explained to us, “We are currently doing preparations to apply for a design verification report (DVR) or type certification (TC) of DroNet with the EASA and Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) authorities starting in Q4 2024. To strengthen DroNet’s position in the future overseas market, obtaining type certification is one of the key strategies as it will differentiate our products from the consumer drone suppliers. There will also be higher risk use cases that can only be fulfilled with safety qualified/certified UAS”.
DroNet Areas of Use
DroNet was developed by STEA with several use cases in mind to increase user availability.
- Shore to Ship Delivery: The uncrewed aircraft has a multi-rotor, which means that DroNet can deliver payloads of up to 10kg over a distance of up to 7km.
- Infrastructure and Asset Inspection: DroNet features a powerline and solar panel defects detection system as well as 3D reconstruction and asset monitoring to ensure the most accurate and efficient inspection, maintenance, and monitoring of critical infrastructure.
- Area Mapping and Monitoring: DroNet includes area mapping with specialised sensors and environmental monitoring. The solution is teaming with ground sensors for detailed measurements.
- Last Mile Delivery: The fixed wing uncrewed aircraft has more than a 100km range for deliveries of up to 10kg to remote locations or across islands, with options of top loading or belly release.
- Area Security: This includes an automated scheduled patrol with rapid response using a pre-deployed UAV in DroPorts. It alerts the operator to illegal activities and personnel detection in restricted areas.
The Challenges of Developing DroNet within the Fast-Paced Drone Industry
Soo Soon discloses that while open-source applications have lower costs and are highly capable and well-tested, but when it comes to flying over populated areas, the drone’s flight control system will have to meet the standard aviation design processes, which require full traceability and a high Design Assurance Level (DAL).
He also notes that it is more effective to have an arsenal of drone types to be able to address different use cases and reduce the costs of training, and to select the most optimised drone option and infrastructure setup. The idea behind DroNet is to allow the end user the ability to choose different drone types such as safety qualified drones for SAIL IV operations or COTs drones for SAIL II/III operations. The drones are able to work seamlessly, all with a common ground control and AI backbone. The concept is akin to a Swiss army knife, which enables the user to pick the right tool for the right job.
Today, STEA straddles a space between traditional aviation and high tech innovations, trying to bring together the best of both worlds. Therefore, the DroNet solution’s primary mission is to deliver safe aviation products with advanced automation and AI capabilities.
To do this, Soo Soon shared that they needed to adapt their existing crewed aircraft development processes to make them more flexible and nimble and enable short design cycles while keeping them safe. They also had to quickly transform their team organisation to incorporate new non-aviation related skillsets such as IOT networking and artificial intelligence.
Why did ST Engineering Aerospace Decide to Sponsor Aerial Cities 2024?
When we asked Soo Soon why ST Engineering Aerospace decided to sponsor Aerial Cities 2024, he said,
“I was fortunate to be invited to attend Aerial Cities in 2023, and I saw that Murzilli Consulting have done a great job pulling in the most relevant industry experts, including decision-makers, suppliers and end users, who were there for a real cause and motivations to push the regulatory boundaries. It was also a great opportunity for networking with the new ecosystem partners and catching up with old friends.
It was during Aerial Cities 2023 that I was connected with some new opportunities, and now I feel we should give back to Aerial Cities 2024 by sharing what has been accomplished by ST Engineering and the way forward which will no doubt require us to work together with the decision makers."
About ST Engineering Aerospace Ltd
With 49 years of track record in aviation solutions and highly experienced teams of engineers and technicians across facilities in Asia Pacific, the U.S. and Europe, ST Engineering Aerospace is the world’s largest airframe MRO solution provider with the capacity to work on up to 48 widebody and 25 narrowbody aircraft at any one time. As an OEM, they specialise in aircraft engine nacelle and composite panels. Through passenger-to-freighter conversion and refurbishment, ST Engineering gives ageing aircraft a new lease on life. They also redefine the way people work and travel through innovations such as Wing-in-Ground craft for faster and more sustainable maritime travel, and uncrewed air systems for a wide range of applications in an urban environment.
About Teong Soo Soon
Soo Soon Teong is currently the head of ST Engineering’s UAS business, for commercial and defence markets. He has an MSc in Air Vehicle Design (Cranfield University) and over 25 years of aviation experience in major modifications of crewed aircraft (such as Passenger-to-Freighter conversions) and development of bespoke solutions for UAS. Under his leadership, the DroNet solution was launched in 2018 and was granted the first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) medium-risk permit in Singapore in 2022. Today, DroNet is has accumulated over 18,000 flight sorties and 6000hrs, being widely used for BVLOS flight operations for reservoirs monitoring, parcel deliveries, public security and powerline inspections. Soo Soon also actively supports the development of UAS related Technical References or Standards for the Singapore Standards Council. He served as the co-convener of the working group which developed TR 78-1:2020 and TR78-2:2021 for inspection of building facades using UAS. He is a featured speaker at the 2024 industry expert event for decision makers, Aerial Cities, where he will discuss the topic, “The path to SAIL IV operations: The ultimate approval for aerial cities”.
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