FAA ATR personnel conducted an initial performance assessment of the Vestas InteliLight X-band system at the Braderup Wind Park, located near Braderup, Germany. This performance assessment, which consisted of demonstrations, flight testing, and data analysis, was conducted on September 20, 2016. At the time of that performance assessment, the X-band version of the Vestas InteliLight system was not yet approved for operation in the United States. The X-band system received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and FAA Spectrum Office on January 11, 2017. Therefore, on October 11, 2017, FAA ATR personnel conducted a follow-up assessment of the Vestas InteliLight X-band system installed at the Hancock Wind Project in Hancock County, Maine to validate the findings of the earlier assessment.

At both the Braderup and Hancock sites, a series of flight patterns were flown against the Vestas InteliLight X-band system to demonstrate whether it could meet the FAA performance requirements specified in AC 70/7460-1L. In both assessments, the Vestas InteliLight X-band system performed according to the manufacturer’s specifications and met the performance requirements identified in AC 70/7460-1L.