Blue Vigil person-portable light powered by drone technology begins beta testing

Blue Vigil is starting beta trials of its Autonomous Aerial LED (ALED), a person-portable light powered by drone technology, which the company says is a significant advancement in portable lighting for the construction market.

A fully-subscribed, paid beta program is made up of 12 customers that include top-tier construction companies, state-level transportation agencies, and some of the largest public safety departments in the United States. Participants will provide feedback from field use that will be instrumental in shaping future versions of the product.

"Poor lighting is a major contributing factor to safety incidents, productivity loss and quality issues on nighttime sites," said Robert Schumann, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Vigil. "The ALED represents the first significant advancement of portable light towers in nearly 40 years."

The ALED is a compact area lighting system that uses a purpose-built, tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to optimally position a high-intensity LED array between 40 and 100 feet above a job site, where it can be kept as long as it's needed.

More than 8,000 square feet of light is cast on the ground, nearly twice as much coverage as traditional towed light towers. Light shines directly down onto the work area without creating glare and shadows that can cause problems for workers, nearby residents, wildlife, and motorists.

The ALED is all-weather and built for rigorous use on construction sites. The light is enclosed in a rugged, person-portable wheeled case that can be positioned wherever lights are needed. Because it can be easily moved and repositioned, it reduces the need for heavy light towers to be placed in spots where they aren't always needed. The unit weighs 90 pounds and fits easily into vehicles. It can be powered by wall power, smaller portable generators, or a vehicle inverter.