UAS MILESTONE
MARKS MAJOR
ADVANCEMENT
IN CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
INSPECTION
Phoenix Air Unmanned (PAU) has achieved a signif-
icant milestone by completing 320 mi (515 km) of
aerial pipeline patrol in just 7.6 flight hours using a
single unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Conducted
for Shell Pipeline Company (SPLC), this opera-
tion exceeded the project goal of demonstrating
that 300 linear miles (483 km) of pipeline can be
effectively patrolled by UAS in a single flight day.
Performed under PAU’s nationwide beyond visual
line of sight (BVLOS) regulatory approval, these
flights mark a major advancement in critical infra-
structure inspection and scalable UAS operations.
These BVLOS pipeline patrols were conducted
under a PAU certificate of waiver from the US
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), allowing
flights without visual observers along the route. This
nationwide waiver permits multiple UAS operations
across various critical infrastructure types, including
pipelines, electric utilities, railroads, and canals.
Since 2019, PAU has completed over 16 000 mi
(25 750 km) of linear infrastructure inspections under
multiple authorizations. Following successful opera-
tions and thorough FAA safety assessments, a new
waiver was granted last fall for scalable and repeat-
able BVLOS operations. PAU views this milestone
as a step toward standardized regulatory approvals,
supporting the FAA’s validation of UAS technology,
safety, and public benefit.
“Many FAA authorizations are site-specific or
limited in scope due to restrictive criteria. We built
upon years of BVLOS operations and proposed
a viable alternative to traditional pipeline patrol
methods,” said Will Wheeler, Director of Operations
at Phoenix Air Unmanned. “This authorization solid-
ifies the business case for routine UAS inspections
required for regulatory compliance, as we achieved
a substantial increase in assets patrolled beyond
visual line of sight with UAS.”
PAU executed these UAS operations safely
through extensive safety risk analysis and FAA regu-
latory approvals. Mission planning ensured flights
remained within designated rights of way across
southern Louisiana. PAU utilized the Event 38 E455
UAS for 16 BVLOS flights, coordinating with SPLC
and aviation operations. The fixed-wing, vertical
takeoff and landing UAS, weighing under 55 lb,
carried a high-resolution camera with a live video
feed. PAU logged 7.72 hours and 332.4 mi (534 km)
of flight, including right-of-way transit and functional
check flights. The collected video data was provided
to inspectors in real time and archived for future
analysis.
Founded in 2014 with a commitment to aviation
and safety assurance, Phoenix Air Unmanned LLC
(PAU) is affiliated with the internationally recog-
nized Part 135 air carrier, Phoenix Air Group Inc.
Specializing in utility inspection services, PAU
has conducted over 16 000 mi (25 750 km) of
unmanned linear infrastructure inspections. With
extensive BVLOS operational experience, FAA
authorizations and waiver expertise, and robust
project management, PAU became the first regis-
tered operator of the International Standards for
Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Stage 1 for
remotely piloted aircraft systems in 2021.
BOEING JOINS EFFORT TO
DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE
AVIATION FUEL FACILITY
IN EUROPE
Boeing has become a key project development
partner of Norsk e-Fuel, supporting one of Europe’s
first industrial scale Power-to-Liquids (PtL) facilities.
Boeing’s investment will accelerate the production
SCANNER
A single unmanned aircraft
system patrolled 320 mi
(515 km) of Shell pipeline in
under 8 flight hours.
8
M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N • M A R C H 2 0 2 5
CREDIT:
PHOENIX
AIR
UNMANNED

and availability of sustainable aviation fuel
(SAF) in the Nordics and globally. It is also
intended to support the commercial avia-
tion industry’s and ICAO (International
Civil Aviation Organization) member
states’ shared goal of achieving net-zero
carbon emissions by 2050.
Norsk e-Fuel will produce jet fuel
known as electro-SAF, or e-SAF, through
the PtL process. This involves using fossil-
free power to generate green hydrogen
and combining it with recycled CO2 from
biogenic sources. This fuel can reduce
the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions
of air travel by over 90% compared to
conventional jet fuel.
“Our support of and collaboration
with Norsk e-Fuel underscores the
importance of using fossil-free energy
to accelerate SAF production, which is
key to reducing aviation’s carbon emis-
sions towards 2050,” said Steve Gillard,
Boeing’s regional sustainability director
for Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye,
Africa, and Central Asia. “Our partnership
to advance e-fuels will help mobilize the
commercialization of SAF in the Nordics
and across the world, increasing accessi-
bility and availability for our customers as
we help build a robust SAF ecosystem.”
It is estimated that SAF accounted for
only 0.53% of the global commercial fuel
use in 2024. In Europe, the RefuelEU SAF
initiative aims to gradually increase the
share of SAF, reaching a target of 6% by
2030 and 70% by 2050. There are also
sub-mandates for e-SAF, such as that
produced by Norsk e-Fuel, with targets
of 1.2% in 2030, rising to 35% in 2050.
Boeing’s investment will contribute to
achieving the SAF volumes needed to
meet EU commitments while strength-
ening national energy security across the
Nordics. The partnership will also help
shape policies that support the economic
viability of the global SAF industry and
enhance the long-term competitiveness
of the aviation sector in the region.
“Our goal is to make e-fuels compet-
itive with and eventually replace fossil
fuels in critical infrastructures as SAF
needs to become readily accessible
DATAFACTS |
WOMEN IN STEM LEADERSHIP ROLES
According to the Global Gender Gap Report (2024), the proportions of women in
both the STEM and non-STEM workforce have gradually increased overall since 2016.
However, in 2024, women continue to have lower representation in the STEM workforce
than in the non-STEM workforce, with representative shares of 28.2% and 47.3%, respec-
tively. The “drop to the top,” illustrated in the graph below, is more pronounced in STEM
occupations (C-suite to entry-level ratio of 42%) compared to non-STEM occupations
(46.3%). The data is based on 31 countries.
Source: Global Gender Gap Report, World Economic Forum (2024) https://www.weforum.org/publications/
global-gender-gap-report-2024/
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Entry Senior Manager Director Vice president C suite
Non-STEM
STEM
INDUSTRYNEWS
|
SCANNER
Boeing and Norsk e-Fuel signed a strategic partnership agreement to accelerate the production
and availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the Nordics and globally. From left to right:
Karl Hauptmeier, CEO, Norsk e-Fuel Maria Laine, President of Boeing in the UK, Ireland, and
Nordics Lars Bjørn Larsen, CCO, Norsk e-Fuel.
M A R C H 2 0 2 5 • M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N 9
Share
of
women
(%)
CREDIT:
BOEING