Autonomous UAS designer and manufacturer Atlas recently partnered with the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State (PMERJ) to utilize its AtlasPRO UAS as part of the PMERJ’s overall security efforts for the Copa America soccer tournament. 

According to Atlas, this was the first time that MESH multi-drone UAS technology has been approved to use to secure a major sporting event. The AtlasPRO flew along the perimeter of the Maracanã Stadium during the tournament’s final series.

The UAS was used in both single and multi-UAS missions to collect data on public safety hazards and facilitate emergency response.

“Advanced first responders like the PMERJ are increasingly embracing smart technologies such as autonomous UAS to significantly bolster their security capabilities,” says Ivan Tolchinsky, founder and CEO of Atlas.

“As the leading provider of tactical and autonomous UAS, we power first responders around the world with high-caliber, cost-effective, end-to-end UAS solutions that provide timely, accurate data and help save both lives and money.”

Described as an advanced small UAS, the AtlasPRO allows fully and semi-autonomous missions to be conducted. The UAS has maximum flight time of 50 minutes, and a range of 10 kilometers.

According to Atlas, one of the core advantages of the AtlasPro is its MESH multi-node communication capability, which allows a single operator to command and control a UAS network from a unified ground control system (GCS).

Using this technology, an operator can divide missions among several UAS and maintain constant “eyes in the sky” using autonomous hot-swap capabilities, which means once a UAS runs out of battery, a second AtlasPRO takes off to replace it above a point of interest.

“As the force responsible for assuring the security of the residents of Rio and the Copa America tournament, we were determined to use the most advanced technological capabilities available on the market to serve our mission needs,” says Colonel André Batista, commander of the Choque Special Forces.

“Deploying AtlasPRO helped us guarantee security for the Copa America tournament efficiently and cost-effectively.”