Altitude Angel has announced its Pop-Up UTM platform built with Inmarsat has won the 2020 Air Traffic Management (ATM) Magazine award. The UTM Service Suppliers category of the awards aims to recognize “pioneering technologies and procedures developed by UTM service suppliers to advance safety and complex operations.”
The two companies have been jointly developing “Pop-Up UTM” based on the already existing GuardianUTM platform from Altitude Angel since their partnership was announced in July 2020.
As the name states, it is essentially an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system that can be deployed anywhere required in a short amount of time.
The system will specifically be deployed where a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flight is taking place and removes the need for infrastructure on the ground to be built. Pop-Up UTM also utilizes Inmarsat’s global network of satellites, meaning the system can be deployed around the world.
Phil Binks, Altitude Angel’s head of UTM, shared:
We are honored to receive this award, which comes soon after we delivered a game-changing live demonstration of the Pop-Up UTM concept with our partner Inmarsat. It proved that the technology can be used anywhere on the planet, with just a moment’s notice, allowing organizations such as blue light services and first responders to safely and securely co-ordinate manned and unmanned aircraft in high-pressure or hostile environments.
Pop-Up UTM will first power the world of emergency services that require surveillance in a specific location in a short period of time. Support for commercial industries will follow shortly after. Drones that were once limited by line of sight will now be used over a considerable distance while still staying safe in the busy skies.
Anthony Spouncer, Inmarsat Aviation senior director of UAVs & UTM, added:
Inmarsat is proud to receive this accolade and provide the essential connectivity for this innovative Pop-Up UTM platform via our unrivaled global satellite network. With more than 30 years of experience in providing communications, navigation, and surveillance to the aviation industry worldwide, we are uniquely positioned to serve as the catalyst for the UAV industry’s rapid growth as it moves into BVLOS operations.
About Altitude Angel
The news comes after Altitude Angel announced its Drone Zone, which will be around 8 kilometers (5 miles) in length and 500 meters (0.3 miles) wide with enhanced detect-and-avoid capabilities. The drone zone will be operated and managed by Altitude Angel. It can support fully automated drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) from any drone manufacturer that complies with a few technical integrations without the need for specialist hardware.
GuardianUTM allows software developers and drone manufacturers to access tools and data that are accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to better understand active and past drone missions. The platform helps drone pilots follow local flight rules and avoid midair collisions with a dynamic alert system. GuardianUTM also includes data from local air authorities such as altitude restrictions, no-fly zones, and NOTAMs to ensure operations are as safe as possible.
Photo: Altitude Angel
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