Austro Control, together with Frequentis, has developed a traffic management system for the safe integration of drones into the Austrian airspace. The launch of Austro Control Dronespace aims to make flying drones in Austria safer and simpler.
Austro Control Dronespace is designed to enable digital drone flight planning and flight clearances in real time. Drone pilots will have comprehensive situational awareness of other flights in their vicinity as well as all information relevant to aviation law regarding geo zones and airspace restrictions. With more transparency on planned drone flights and the automated clearance process (a process previously carried out via telephone by the tower), the new system also makes things less complicated for Austro Control’s air traffic controllers, according to the joint press release.
Dronespace in a nutshell:
- Flying drones becomes easier as flight plans can be filed, and flight clearances requested or issued directly in the app
- Flying becomes safer, because air traffic control and drone pilots will be able to see where other drones are on the move
- Drone flying becomes easier, because Austro Control Dronespace will be the contact point for all official and operational processes: from registering as a drone operator to personally managing individual drones in the app
- Drone flying becomes safer because the “Quick Check” function for drone pilots always makes it immediately clear where it is permitted to fly and where it is not.
The new system has been tested intensively with drone operators and the constructive feedback was incorporated into the development process. After a successful testing phase, the Austro Control Dronespace app is now ready for take-off. Austro Control says it is important that in the future drone pilots use the Austro Control Dronespace App for all their drone flights and file a flight plan when doing so. With this, their drone flights will always be visible to other drone pilots as well as to air traffic control, enhancing safety. From 24 October, digital flight plan filing, and approval will be possible directly and digitally via dronespace.at. The new system will go live in a two-step process. First, the operator registration and the Quick-Check function will be activated on 10 October 2023 in the desktop version. The app will then be available for download from 20 October 2023 at the latest.
The most important features of Austro Control Dronespace at a glance:
For drone pilots:
- Filing flight plans and obtaining flight clearances within control zones
- Quick-check on relevant airspace restrictions and geographical zones
- Up to date information on other drone flights in the vicinity
- Registration as operator in the app For air traffic controllers:
- Checking and clearing flight plans for drone pilots
- Establishing airspace rules and restrictions
- Warnings of (also short-term) closed airspaces
- Direct communication with drone pilots via app Example: immediate request to land in case of rescue operations.
For air traffic controllers:
- Checking and clearing flight plans for drone pilots
- Establishing airspace rules and restrictions
- Warnings of (also short-term) closed airspaces
- Direct communication with drone pilots via app Example: immediate request to land in case of rescue operations.
Information is available on the Austro Control drone website: www.dronespace.at
Detailed information around drone flying – from registration to the regulatory framework to the drone license – and on the new Austro Control Dronespace system can be found on the Austro Control website www.dronespace.at.
“With Austro Control Dronespace, we have developed an innovative platform for the safe and easy handling of drone flights together with our technology partner Frequentis. With this, we take another important step in the digitalisation and automation of official processes, while also supporting the Austrian industry when it comes to developing new drone services for the market,” explains Austro Control CEO Valerie Hackl.
In future, Austro Control Dronespace will enable digital drone flight planning and flight clearances in real time. Drone pilots will have comprehensive situational awareness of other flights in their vicinity as well as all information relevant to aviation law regarding geo zones and airspace restrictions. With more transparency on planned drone flights and the automated clearance process (a process previously carried out via telephone by the tower), the new system is also expected to make things less complicated for Austro Control’s air traffic controllers.
(Image: From left: Norbert Haslacher, Frequentis Elisabeth Landrichter, BMK Valerie Hackl, Austro Control Philipp Piber, Austro Control)
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