Northbrook, IL – Unmanned or automated electric vehicles and systems are now available with UL electrical system safety certification, as UL issues the first UL 3030 certification for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to the Intel® Falcon 8+ drone, a professional, unmanned aerial vehicle ideal for inspection and close mapping. Additionally, UL has issued the first UL 3100 certification for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to Dematic, a leader in integrated automated supply chain technology. UL recently developed these two safety standards that focus on the electrical system safety of the end product with critical safety system components such as the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and charging systems on- or off-board the product.
UL 3030 and UL 3100 were developed to evaluate, test, and certify in a holistic system approach to ensure that the batteries, chargers and end products are protected against electric shock and fire. This includes evaluating and testing for enclosure strength, functional safety requirements, motor safety and protection against injury, performance and autonomous features.
UASs, commonly referred to as drones, have long been used in military and public safety applications and are now being widely adopted in commercial applications. As the numbers and applications of drones increase, so does the need for standards for safer product development and operations. The on-board power sources of drones are typically lithium-ion based batteries that need to be protected against electrical, mechanical, and environmental conditions. UL’s expertise with lithium-ion battery and holistic system safety supports the world’s innovations of new product categories before use in mass adoption.
“We are very pleased to present the first UL 3030 certification for drones as UL is able to contribute to the rapidly advancing and increasing deployment of UAS technology. We will continue to work closely with manufacturers who provide valuable insight into the safety requirements and share a common goal for safer UAS deployment,” said Francisco Martinez, UL’s global director of Energy Systems and e-Mobility.
“The Intel Falcon 8+ drone is designed for advanced flight performance with redundancy built in for safety and reliability,” said Anil Nanduri, VP & GM of Intel’s Drone Group. “Our successful UL listing of the Intel Falcon 8+ drone to UL’s 3030 safety standard demonstrates Intel’s commitment to safe operations needed for commercial applications such as inspection, surveying and mapping.”
AGVs are driverless, mobile robots that use lasers, vision, or markers/wires in the floor, to navigate. They are typically used for transporting, picking, or pulling loads in industrial applications to move materials around a manufacturing facility or a warehouse.
UL issued its first certification to UL 3100 to Dematic, leaders in mobile automation, who also participated in the Standards Technical Panel and contributed to the development of the Standard. UL 3100 was built upon several decades of UL technical expertise and standard know-how including new advancements in autonomous features (i.e. protection against unintended injury).
“As a leader in the mobile automation industry, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure the safe, efficient operation of our AGVs,” said Tom Kaminski, Vice President of Mobile Automation at Dematic. “Internally, this new UL 3100 certification provides an excellent methodology for us to better test our solutions. For our customers, it illustrates our commitment to putting their interests first.”
“It is a pleasure to finalize UL 3100, which is an important industry milestone for helping to ensure safe operation of AGVs,” said Martinez. “UL looks forward to continuing to support UAS and AGV industry innovations to accelerate market confidence and ultimately the market’s growth.”
