Eschweiler – Being a VTOL, the Songbird doesn’t only achieve greater flight times than multicopter systems; thanks to its higher speed it covers a significantly longer distance. This makes it the ideal tool for the inspection of pipelines, powerlines, traffic infrastructure, etc. The Songbird has been able to proof this recently, thanks to a permission to fly beyond-visual-line-of sight and above the train tracks between the towns of Langerwehe and Weisweiler near Eschweiler (NRW). To cover the 2 km long test-section twice (with a slight displacement between the outbound and return flight) the Songbird only required a net flight time of 4 minutes. The outcome of the short flight: A complete high-resolution set of images for direct visual inspection or to be merged into a orthophoto or 3D-terrain model. It can, for example, be used to determine if trees need to be cut for the sake of save railroad operations. The test has been repeated with different cameras (Sony Alpha 24 MP, Phase One 100 MP) as well as the live-video payload. Conclusion: The Songbird system is ready for operation over larger distances.