New software to steer drone traffic

Unmanned traffic management systems will play a key role in how airspace will be managed, allowing multiple beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations to be run by different firms at the same time.

Globally, companies such as US-based AirMap and Netherlands-based Airbus offer such solutions. Ankit Kumar, chief executive at Skye Air said the software imports data from the government’s Digital Sky platform, which has been created to help drone operators plan flights in Indian airspace. The platform was first launched in 2018 and offers drone operators information for running drone missions in the country. It is run by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

“Ideally the government should make the Digital Sky API public, so third-party apps and service providers can pull data from it and build apps that are more user-friendly and have more geospatial, terrain, and weather data. This can help the ecosystem around it to evolve. Right now, Digital Sky is not tailored for specific use cases of businesses,” said the founder of a drone manufacturing firm who requested anonymity.

Kumar said Skye UTM will allow operators a “better understanding” of where they can fly. India’s Drone Rules 2021 set restrictions on where private entities can fly zones by designating red, green and yellow zones. Such information can be obtained from platforms like Digital Sky, which SkyeUTM facilitates, while also adding additional data.

“When an operator goes to our maps they get a better understanding of where they can fly, at what altitude or whether in a circle, grid or straight line. You can see where the building or telecom towers are and how high they are. This helps them create a flight plan that is more aware of the surroundings,” said Kumar, adding that the software has been tested in over 300 successful BVLOS flights.

BVLOS refers to drone flights where the pilot cannot see the drone. They allow firms to run drone missions over greater distances, required for logistics, medicine delivery and more. Kumar added Skye UTM will also offer latitude and longitude data, which is unavailable on Digital Sky.

To be sure, information on drone flights planned through Skye UTM will also be shared with authorities before a take-off. After an operator submits the flight plan, information on the drone license number, drone operator’s contact, flight plan, purpose of flight, and duration and time of flight will be shared with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which can then reject a flight if it finds inconsistencies or possible disruptions with aircraft/helicopter operations.

To track drones, Skye Air will offer remote ID services, which is a piece of hardware that needs to be installed on drones to communicate real-time information on its location.