BVLOS explained: what flying beyond visual line of sight means for the Philippines

"BVLOS" comes up in almost every conversation about drone delivery. It stands for beyond visual line of sight, and it's the difference between a drone that flies around a field and one that can cross a strait. Here is what it means, how it's regulated in the Philippines, and what technology makes it safe.

Three ways to fly: VLOS, EVLOS and BVLOS

VLOS · visual line of sight

The remote pilot keeps the drone in direct view with their own eyes (no binoculars) at all times. In practice that's a few hundred metres, depending on the drone's size and the weather.

EVLOS · extended visual line of sight

Trained observers along the route keep the drone in sight and stay in contact with the pilot, extending the range while a human can still see the aircraft.

BVLOS · beyond visual line of sight

Nobody sees the drone directly. The pilot relies on telemetry, cameras, detect-and-avoid systems and air-traffic information instead.

For island deliveries the gap is stark. A VLOS flight from a pier barely reaches the end of the jetty, while the hops that matter are 10 to 100 kilometres across open water.

How BVLOS is regulated in the Philippines

Drones in the Philippines are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) under the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations, in particular Part 11, which covers aerial work and operating limitations for non-type-certificated aircraft, including remotely piloted aircraft.

Based on CAAP's published framework:

• Drone flights are expected to stay within visual line of sight by default.
• BVLOS operations need a special authorisation from CAAP, assessed case by case, with additional safety measures.
• Organisations providing drone operations need a CAAP certificate of authorisation.
• Drones must keep clear of airports. CAAP and airport authorities describe a 10 km radius around airports as off-limits without permission.

Rules change, so anyone planning operations should check CAAP's current RPAS regulations directly rather than relying on summaries, including this one.

What a regulator needs to see

Around the world, aviation authorities assess BVLOS applications in a similar way: by asking how risky the operation is to people on the ground and to other aircraft, and what reduces that risk. A strong application usually covers:

• Where you fly. Routes over water or sparsely populated land, at low altitude, away from crowds and airports, carry much less risk.
• How you avoid other aircraft. ADS-B receivers, ground radar and onboard sensors that detect crewed aircraft and give way.
• How you stay in control. Redundant command links (for example mobile data plus satellite) and automatic responses when a link is lost.
• What happens when things fail. Parachutes, redundant motors and batteries, and pre-planned landing or ditch points.
• Who is responsible. Trained, certified remote pilots, clear procedures and full flight records.

Lessons from elsewhere

BVLOS delivery has already proven itself in demanding places. In Rwanda, medical drone deliveries of blood products began in 2016, followed by Ghana in 2019. Those programmes showed that the biggest wins come from health logistics: getting urgent, small, high-value items to clinics that are hard to reach by road. The Philippines, with its scattered islands and rural health units, faces very similar challenges.

One pilot, many drones

Early BVLOS approvals typically pair one pilot with one drone. As systems mature, a single remote pilot can supervise several automated drones from an operations centre, stepping in only when needed. That shift is what makes island-scale networks affordable, and it's why careful, phased approvals matter.

How LipadBox would approach it

Our BVLOS vision proposes four phases: trials within sight around Olango, a first authorised over-water corridor for medical flights, a long-range network across the Visayas, and finally a national network with an emergency corridor. Each phase starts only when the previous one has a published safety record.

Key takeaways

• VLOS is the default, and BVLOS is the exception that needs specific CAAP authorisation.
• Safety comes from layers: route choice, detect-and-avoid, links, fail-safes and people.
• Health deliveries are the strongest early case for BVLOS in the islands.