The Praxis Aerospace family of companies are service-disabled, veteran-owned, small businesses based in Southern Nevada. Using a mix of proprietary technology, unique team domain expertise and unique partnerships, PACI develops practical solutions for multi-modal (ground-air-sea-industrial) robotics and unmanned systems (UxS) that benefit from experience and “best practices.” PACI operates field facilities in the Eldorado and Piute Valleys for autonomous systems research, development, test, evaluation, deployment, commercialization, and training.
Our expertise allows us to provide services in ITAR-Restricted and Federal Services, EAR-Controlled products, International Importing and Exporting, Licensed Spectrum, Unmanned Systems Infrastructure and Integrated solutions, UAS Repair Services, Training Services, and Airport Operations.
PRAXIS (process): the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practiced, embodied, or realized.
RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
PACI is the only Southern Nevada industry partner of the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), designated by the FAA as the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (COE UAS). Access to the national airspace is a vital enabler for commercial and public safety UAS programs.
We were the only Nevada company to brief, at the FAA’s request, the Micro-UAS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) on Small- and Micro-UAS repair and inspection. Our CEO was a member of the Remote Identification and Tracking ARC. PACI is represented on the current UAS in Controlled Airspace ARC.
We have an approved site-specific Certificate of Authorization from the FAA for extended visual line of sight (EVLOS), night and extended altitude (up to 2000’ above ground level) at our facility in Eldorado Valley.
We have approved Part 107 Waivers and Authorizations from the FAA for Night flights in national Class G, for day and night operations within the Las Vegas Class B, for extended altitude (<1200′ above ground level) on our 35-mile skyway, and for BVLOS in the Piute Valley.
Our CEO provided testimony on commercial and fire service use of sUAS to the Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations for the US House of Representatives Small Business Committee hearing on the FAA’s New Regulatory Framework for Commercial Drone Operations.
UNPARALLELED DEVELOPMENT OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS WITHIN NEVADA
- PACI operates a UTM service area consisting of almost 1200 square miles of Class G within the Eldorado and Piute Valleys. Our UTM service area is powered by our Aeropermit™ platform.
- PACI conducts UAS operations in a thirty-five-mile corridor through the Eldorado Valley and connects the Boulder City Drone Zone, Eldorado Droneport and the Searchlight Airport. This dedicated proving ground and skyway is a one-of-a-kind facility with layers of Operating Approvals from the FAA. In addition to multiple Part 107 waivers, the skyway supports night flying, cruise altitudes up to 2000’ AGL and extended visual line of sight (EVLOS) operations in concert with a number of FAA-Designated UAS Test Sites.
- In the Piute Valley to the south of Searchlight, we offer flight operations under our approved Certificate of Authorization for extended visual line of sight (EVLOS), night and extended altitude (up to 1200’ above ground level), as well as under Part 107 Waivers and Authorizations for BVLOS and night flights in national Class G.
- Our UAS Test Range participates in AirMap’s Digital Notice and Awareness System™ (D-NAS) program to receive digital notice of unmanned aircraft operations in proximity to facility. This allows us to replicate Low-Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) for cooperative operations within our Range.
- PACI has worked since 2012 with the City of Boulder City, home to the Eldorado Droneport- the world’s first public airport dedicated to UAS. Our pilot project focus has been integrating commercial and recreational UAS flights within the City’s limits, creating revenue while protecting public safety and privacy from the misuse of drones.
- PACI has a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Utilization of this CRADA allows PACI and the NNSS to collaborate on projects involving the development, operations, and integration of virtual hardware and software technology with unmanned aerial and ground systems. The 2017 focus is on advancing the processes and procedures, techniques, and infrastructure for near and far-reaching technologies. This includes counter measures involving UAS, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM), and Command and Control (C2) of Robotics.
- PACI was designated by the Board of County Commissioners for inclusion into the Firefly Program; a partnership of Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) and local universities. PACI worked with CCFD to obtain three operating approvals from the FAA, making CCFD the first fire department in Nevada to obtain national authorization for UAS operations under a Public Safety Blanket COA and night operations under Part 107. The third, Nevada-specific approval was awarded in November 2016.
- PACI was a corporate partner with the UNLV DARPA Robotics Challenge Team led by Dr. Paul Oh. PACI roboticists provided the Metal Rebel™ team with test and evaluation management, and human factors performance modelling. During the June 2015 Finals in Pomona, California, our team placed 8th of 24; immediately succeeding Massachusetts Institute of Technology (6th) and Carnegie Mellon University (7th).
- PACI provided UNLV with support of NAVAIR contracts at the New Mexico State University Flight Test Center involving R&D, mission planning, range coordination, and flight testing service- culminating in the maiden flight of the Vanilla Aircraft VA-001 UAS in February 2015.
- PACI is an expert organization consulting in the field of unmanned aircraft systems design, and was an initial “plankholder” in the State of Nevada UAS Test Site in 2013.
EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO DOD AVIATION AND UAS CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
- PACI advisors have experience as members of the Joint Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence, US Army-Europe Aviation Safety and Standardization Detachment, and inaugural establishment of the US Army-Europe Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training and Standardization Center of Excellence (UAS T&SCE), and extensive experience in international UAS operations (Afghanistan, Iraq, Italy, Colombia, Peru, Macedonia, Romania, Kosovo, NATO and the UN).
- PACI advisors have been key contributors to aviation-related programmatic documents (i.e., Concepts of Operation, Roadmap and Instructions) as demonstrated by the 2008 UAS Integration program for the Colombian Air Force, the 2011 Air-Land-Sea Agency (ALSA) Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Tactical Employment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, the 2008 Joint Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Training Qualification and Standards Architecture (TQSA).
- The latter report was the Joint Unmanned Aircraft System Center of Excellence (JUAS COE) reply to a tasking from the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) to develop joint minimum unmanned aircraft system (UAS) training qualifications and standards across the DoD, including the requirements for integration into the National Airspace System (NAS); and was used to establish joint minimum UAS training qualifications as CJCSI 3255.01, Joint Unmanned Aircraft Systems Minimum, Training Standards.
SUPPORT OF FAA OBJECTIVES FOR UAS INTEGRATION INTO THE NAS
The PACI team boasts a wealth of experience in writing and publishing FAA Test Site documents and procedures recognized as the current industry “gold standard.”
- We are intimately familiar with the FAA’s expectations and requirements for the UAS Test Sites. We assisted the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR) with an Independent Safety Review Board for flights at the New York UAS Test Site, and are the only entity designated with Mission Command authority west of the Mississippi River. PACI currently manages COA 2015-WSA-237 for the NY UAS Test Site.
- Our CEO was the proposal manager for Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) bid and establishment of an FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site within the State of Nevada, and was the inaugural Technical Director of the State’s UAS Program Management Office for the full duration of that contract.