# ASCEND COLLISION OVERWATCH ## Description Ascend Collision Overwatch (ACO) is an app integrating LightWare’s SF45 into our collision-prevention stack, which runs alongside mission mode. If an obstacle is detected, the drone commands a stop and enters a hold-position state until manually flown to safety by an operator. ACO is designed for high-value UAV platforms where preventing a single crash can \ save thousands of dollars in hardware, downtime, and lost missions View ACO in action here: ## Features * Runs on the VOXL2 and Auterion Skynode * Compatible with PX4 and ArduPilot * When an obstacle triggers a hold event, QGC displays a warning message * Plug-and-play support for the LightWare SF45 * Emits clear warning messages on any malfunction, aiding troubleshooting * Supports BVLOS operations * Velocity-based obstacle detection with directional awareness (monitors only the flight path) * Starts automatically in the background after a simple install * Fully configurable * Foxglove visualization available ## Where to buy Use the following link to purchase a license: An email with the installation instructions would be sent to the entered email address. ## QnA's Q: **How do I install it?** \ A: ACO is installed with the help of our [Ascend Installer](https://ascendengineering.github.io/ascend-software-hosted/), details of which are emailed to users on a license purchase. Q: **What autopilots does it support?**
 \ A: PX4 and ArduPilot, via MAVLink-based integration. Q: **What external sensor does it use?** \ A: ACO uses LightWare’s SF45 rotating LiDAR for its 270° obstacle detection coverage. Q: **What is the maximum detection distance?** \ A: Up to 40 meters with the SF45 LiDAR. Q: **How much does it cost?** \ A: $200 per license, per drone. A license can only be activated on one drone and cannot be changed later. Q: **Does it detect power lines?** \ A: Not yet. Due to current sensor limitations, ACO cannot reliably detect power lines. We are actively working on expanding detection capabilities. Q: **Can it be integrated with other sensors?** \ A: Yes. ACO was designed to support multiple sensor types. The SF45 is simply the first and most \ widely tested sensor integration. We are actively working on expanding the supported sensor base. Q: **How do we get started?** \ A: Refer to the [**Where to buy**](https://ascend-engineering.gitbook.io/ascend-collision-overwatch#where-to-buy) section to purchase our license. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://ascend-engineering.gitbook.io/ascend-collision-overwatch/ascend-collision-overwatch.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.