A new report released by the UK Drone Association (ARPAS-UK) says there is a huge global opportunity for countries that can successfully accommodate commercial drone operations, it suggests the sector could be worth GBP127 billion globally. Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) is recognised as a key enabler to address the safe and efficient integration of unmanned vehicles into the airspace.
The report provides a summary of the developed open-access UTM framework and defines the future direction around which industry and regulators can openly engage with each other to explore how UTM may be trialled, de-risked and matured. This will support the development of both UTM technologies and the application of UTM, but also places the industry in a leading position.
The report is published by Connected Places Catapult and examines UK drone activity. In a press release by ARPAS-UK, the report shows how UK drone sector is projected to over the coming years, with increasingly capable technology, spawn a new range of potential applications and business models. Unlike several frequently hyped technologies, the sector is already delivering a number of benefits from the application of drones. Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) inspections are substantially reducing costs of asset inspections and removing people from harm’s way; their use in oil and gas, agriculture, power, rail and even search and rescue, is amplifying productivity, accuracy and coverage in each of those areas.
Government and industry are committed to maintaining a safe national airspace to which all users, including the unmanned aircraft community, are able to have routine, fair and equitable access. UTM addresses many of the airspace integration requirements for drone operations therefore it requires a coordinated approach across the UTM and UAS stakeholder community to deliver an ecosystem that will ultimately enable the industry to capitalise on the market opportunities presented by drones.
Access the report at: 20200522_CPC report Enabling UTM in the UK
For more information visit:
https://www.arpas.uk/enabling-unmanned-aircraft-traffic-management-in-the-uk/
