Press Release

Rio de Janeiro, 10^th of July 2024 – Brazilian civil aviation has reached an unprecedented milestone with the completion of the country´s first long-distance flight with a civilian drone. This achievement represents a significant advancement for the country in the use of remotely piloted aircraft. Conducted for Petrobras on the 19^th of June, the night flight at 8,000 feet covered 198km over the sea, from the Imbetiba Base in Macaé (RJ) to the offshore platform P-51, marking the first offshore cargo transport using an unmanned aircraft in Brazil.

Omni Táxi Aéreo is the contract holder, with OHI Unmanned—the joint venture between Nordic Unmanned and Omni Helicopters International (OHI) —as the executing party. This joint venture is dedicated to the operation of highly complex and capable RPA’s (Remotely Piloted Aircraft)- Class 1 & 2.

“This was a milestone not only for aviation in our country but also for Omni. To the best of our knowledge, this was the longest distance covered by a civil unmanned aircraft (107 Nautical Miles) in Brazil. Additionally, it was the first use of an RPA in a long-distance offshore night flight in the country,” highlights Roberto Coimbra, CEO of Omni Táxi Aéreo. The event was attended by representatives from Omni, Petrobras, ANAC, DECEA, and Nav Brasil.

The mission’s goal was to transport cargo and to collect essential data on the sharing of airspace between UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and helicopters. This integration represents a significant step in the development of unmanned aerial logistics, which will result in increased efficiency and safety in operations.

“OHI is at the forefront of sustainable solutions supporting the orderly energy transition – this program opens the door to significantly reduced costs and CO2 emissions for smaller and urgent payloads replacing the use of conventional helicopters and boats.  This important milestone was only possible thanks to a successful three-way cooperation between Omni Táxi Aéreo, OHI Unmanned and Nordic Unmanned” said João Welsh, CEO of OHI Unmanned.

In addition to its logistical use, this RPA system will improve effectiveness in emergencies, such as oil spill detection and search and rescue operations, both day and night.