The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) has launched the DroneTower mobile application, which is now the official IT system for reporting the intention to fly a drone (Check-In) in Poland. Created and owned by PANSA, the free app is available for download in the Google Play and App Store.
The application allows users to check flight conditions in a selected location, enables the operator/pilot of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to notify the intention to fly (Check-In), conduct non-verbal two-way communication with an air traffic controller in the case of flights in the controlled zone of airports, inform of emergency situations and receive reminders about the expiring Check-In time. The app also provides information about other reported UAS flights in the immediate vicinity.
The new app launched on April 15 and the transitional solution, checkin.pansa.pl, has been withdrawn from operational use and will only be used in emergency situations. DroneTower contains information about both fixed and flexible zones – active and inactive. Using the application requires users to create an account in the PansaUTM system. The DroneTower application is part of the PansaUTM system, therefore it allows operators to access the missions they have created and activate them at the time of Check-In.
PANSA plans to add weather information to the application, and then introduce the further functionalities. In the coming weeks, a new module of the PansaUTM system – Geozones – will be made available, and can be used to apply for geographical zones for authorised entities. DroneTower will soon be integrated with electronic services for UAS implemented by PANSA in cooperation with Poland’s Civil Aviation Office (CAO) and the Ministry of Infrastructure as part of the Digital Poland Operational Program, which is co-financed by the European Union.
The app launch follows the introduction of a new portal called the National Drone Information System, which enables registration for operators and pilots, operational authorisation and provides access to information on CAO permits.
According to CAO data, there are currently a quarter of a million UAS operators registered in Poland.
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Image: DroneTower demonstration flight (PANSA)
