High Lander’s São Paulo-based subsidiary BIRDS will use the company’s Vega uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system to manage airspace as part of Brazil’s BR-UTM project.
Following acceptance into the project by the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), BIRDS will demonstrate the system to the authority as it investigates the implementation of UTM technology throughout the country.
BIRDS already uses Vega UTM to ensure its Brazilian clients’ drone operations are safe and compliant with the sophisticated airspace regulations of the National Civil Aviation Authority.
High Lander says the Brazilian drone ecosystem has shown “consistent and rapid growth since 2020” with drones being used in agriculture, security and deliveries. The country also shows promising potential for the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector. As a result, Brazilian authorities have a requirement for airspace management technology that can integrate UAS and eVTOLs into airspaces safely.
BR-UTM started in September 2023, is led by DECEA and the Institute of Airspace Control (ICEA) and aims to develop a UAS-friendly infrastructure by way of public-private partnerships with technology providers. Requirements include UTM zone creation and restriction sharing, real-time airspace monitoring, integration between air traffic management (ATM) and UTM systems, and a regulatory infrastructure. BR-UTM will run implementation tests to find practical solutions as to how these capabilities can be integrated into Brazilian airspaces.
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Image: Drone view from above the Copacabana district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Shutterstock)
