Swiss air navigation service provider skyguide has launched a digital authorization system for expedited approval of UAS and other special flights in controlled airspace. Skguide partnered with AirMap to develop the streamlined authorisation system.
In Switzerland, flights by UAS, gliders, parachutes, hot air balloons, and other non-commercial aircraft within airspace classes C and D are subject to approval from skyguide and the airport authority, as they can be dangerous to other airspace users. As drone flights increase in volume and complexity, airspace authorities face a backlog in coordinating and processing all special flights requests, which can take over a week to complete.
According to a company press release, Skyguide and AirMap have developed a flexible and intelligent digital authorization workflow solution that streamlines, digitizes, and automates airspace authorization requests for drones and other special flights. The solution makes it quicker, easier, and safer for UAS and other special flights to access controlled airspace.
AirMap’s Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) platform enables Swiss air traffic managers to receive notifications when a special airspace use application is submitted; view data regarding the proposed operation’s geography, timing, and proposed route; and view any airspace rules, regulations, and appropriate sectional maps. UAS operators can submit online requests for authorization to fly in controlled airspace with easy-to-use web applications and receive a decision in less than three days.
The new service will be available throughout Switzerland later this year. The announcement comes a year after skyguide and AirMap trialed a fully automated authorization capability for UAS flights at Geneva and Lugano Airports.
“UAS and other special flight operators no longer have to wait ten days to fly in controlled airspace,” said Robert Fraefel, U-space project lead at skyguide. “Digitizing our authorization process enables skyguide to deliver safe and efficient access to airspace, makes it easier and faster for operators to apply for permission to fly in controlled airspace, and removes the burden from our special flights office.”
“Digitizing the authorization process is an important step in enabling drone operations at scale and opening up access to airspace,” added Boris Lacroix, AirMap’s Senior Vice President of Product Management.
For more information visit:
