Delek US Gains First BVLOS Approval for U.S. Refineries Using Percepto Drone and AI Solution

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Percepto, pioneering autonomous inspection by industrial robotics, announced today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for Delek US Holdings’ refineries in Tyler, Texas and El Dorado, Arkansas. Percepto drones inspected its facilities and provided visual data management and analysis. The approval makes Delek US’s refineries the first to receive such an approval, and one of the first among US energy companies as well. The operational approval is one of a number received by Percepto customers, including Florida Power & Light, Verizon Skyward and at other industrial sites in Australia, Italy, Spain, Norway, Portugal and Israel. 

The BVLOS approval enables Delek US to operate its drones without a pilot to maintain line of sight with the drone. An operator located in the control room can easily manage and monitor pre-scheduled fully autonomous drone missions. 

“This approval to use autonomous drone technology is a huge step forward towards cleaner and safer refineries within the oil and gas industry,” said Percepto CEO Dor Abuhasira. “Congratulations to Delek US for being pioneers in digital transformation, and implementing new procedures within an industry that has been seeking new solutions to old problems.”

“Percepto’s end-to-end system supports our environmental, social and governance goals to deliver safe and reliable autonomous drones that can be operated remotely while in compliance with US FAA regulations,” said Delek SVP, Business Transformation, Grigor Bambekov. “By working in partnership with Percepto, Delek US is gaining more effective, efficient, reliable, and profitable utilization of its assets through the next generation of Industry 4.0 drone ecosystems.”

Percepto drones are managed by Percepto’s Autonomous Inspection & Monitoring (AIM) platform. The recently upgraded AIM 2022 includes the newest configuration of the Percepto Sparrow, the Percepto Air Max. Amongst other payload and capability upgrades, the Air Max features an OGI camera, capable of detecting gas emissions. 

AIM 2022 also delivers AI-powered packaged solutions for sector-specific use cases, including oil and gas plus other industries. The first industry solution to collate visual data from all third-party surveillance devices on site, Percepto’s platform provides a unified view of the entire facility, delivering insights for fast and effective action. Through its change detection framework based on drone-collected data, the Tyler and El Dorado refineries leverage AIM and Air Max drones to maintain remote operations 24/7 with capability to:

  • Automate a select set of day-to-day operations, maintenance, security, and special projects tasks

  • Provide aerial surveillance, monitoring, and inspection of assets, equipment, machinery, materials, and supplies

  • Enable emergency response and crisis management services

  • Ensure compliance with environmental and safety regulations

  • Keep workers safe with pre-emptive risk notifications and mitigation services 

About Percepto

Percepto is the leading autonomous inspection and monitoring solution provider, revolutionizing how industrial sites monitor and inspect their critical infrastructure and assets.

Listed in TIME magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2021, Percepto’s AIM platform fully automates visual data workflows from capture to insight, leveraging the Percepto Air drone-in-a-box portfolio, alongside other robots and visual sensors. Using advanced machine-learning and AI, Percepto AIM provides an end-to-end autonomous inspection and monitoring solution, to assess risk, minimize downtime, drive efficiency, increase safety and reduce operational costs.


Percepto’s solutions are trusted by Fortune 500 customers on six continents including Florida Power and Light, Koch Industries and Verizon. The company is the recipient of multiple prestigious awards including Edison Gold Award and Frost & Sullivan Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award. For more information, visit www.percepto.co.