Since completing our BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight), we have met the milestones we've been working for with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), meaning collecting more data for research on Māui dolphins and their habitats. This approval was in collaboration with MPI through the Sustainable Food and Fibres (SFF) Futures project.
We're grateful for being able to get this funding as, with their help, we were able to get the drone, develop our AI and get the BVLOS approval we needed from the CAA so we could fly up to 50km away from the pilot. Watch out 2023!
The SFF Futures project co-invests in initiatives that help create innovation and problem-solving throughout Aotearoa's food and fibre sector. There are nine assessment criteria that they check so we could get the funding we needed. This includes: innovation, sustainable benefits in Aotearoa, being beyond regular business, fitting with the relevant strategies to the government or other industries, adopting and extends the path to the market, the ability to deliver, governance, risk identification and mitigation and the budget. When wanting these funds all these aspects must be considered.
For future information on our collaboration with MPI and the SFF Futures project see their article.