ANRA Technologies has given more details of its role in the successful completion of the two-year Care & Equity, Healthcare Logistics UAS project (CAELUS), funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This two-phase initiative focused on advancing airspace integration and delivery management services for drones delivering medical products for the UK National Health System (NHS) Scotland, paving the way for scalable, safe, and efficient drone operations in the United Kingdom
ANRA’s contributions centered around supporting the development and validation of airspace management solutions using Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) and delivery management systems. The company’s Delivery Management System (DMS), integrated with its UTM platform, enabled complex Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) medical delivery operations, connecting key stakeholders such as NHS Scotland, delivery drone operators, and end users.
“Key achievements and contributions from ANRA include:
- Enhancing NHS Operations: ANRA’s DMS facilitated seamless coordination between NHS customers, suppliers, and drone operators, validating the system’s ability to support critical medical use cases.
- Participation in Four CAELUS Trials: ANRA supported and participated in major trials across Scotland, including Glasgow Airport, Crosshouse to Arran, Edinburgh to the Borders, and Aberdeen to Elgin.
- UTM-ATM Interoperability Solutions: Leveraging its expertise in open interoperability standards, ANRA developed and tested UTM-ATM interoperability solutions during the Crosshouse and Aberdeen trials. These trials showcased the ability to integrate drone operations within existing air traffic management (ATM) frameworks.
ANRA’s UTM platform was integrated into the project’s Concept of Operations (ConOps), establishing a foundation for future airspace management frameworks. Additionally, the project demonstrated the execution of complex BVLOS operations, with ANRA’s DMS, enabling seamless data exchanges with ATM systems. This capability ensured efficient and safe drone flights in highly regulated airspace, as showcased during the Crosshouse and Aberdeen trials.
“One of the project’s most notable achievements was completing the UK’s longest onshore BVLOS drone flight,” said the company in a press statement. “The operation featured two segments, with an intermediate landing at a charging station, managed entirely through ANRA’s integrated DMS and UTM solutions.”
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