A virtual insight into future skies

A vision of future skies is available at the Altitude Angel stand. Its simulation tool shows virtual integrated skies, where crewed and uncrewed aircraft safely share the same airspace, all managed digitally.

The tool shows a Skyfarer drone making a delivery between two UK hospitals and display all the technology developed by Altitude Angel to date, including its GuardianUTM platform and ARROW ground-based DAA (Detect-and-Avoid) system.

The simulation shows the flight being planned and the operation submitted, via the GuardianUTM platform Approval Services and Strategic Deconfliction functions. GuardianUTM then manages the flight and performs real-time tactical deconfliction on simulated drones, just as it would in real life.

Users can even choose which aspect of the scenario they wish to experience; that of a delivery drone, as a pilot in a GA aircraft or HEMS/blue light helicopter responding to an emergency, or in a UAM eVTOL craft flying alongside the delivery drone.

“Our immersive simulator is a first for the UTM/ATM industry,” says Richard Parker, Altitude Angel’s CEO. “We’re taking airspace managers out of the control tower and placing them right in the heart of the flight. The experience will give airspace regulators a unique opportunity to see and understand what tomorrow’s skies will look like, which we hope will allow them to realise what can be achieved within current regulation as well as help inform and shape future regulation.”

"The ARROW ground-based DAA system is also a cornerstone of the UK’s drone superhighway, 265km of corridors running between the Midlands and the southeast. The superhighway is being built by Altitude Angel and several partners and," says Parker,"will revolutionise the way we transport goods and travel.”

The highways consist of a series of towers that are piggybacking on British Telecom (BT) infrastructure. As coverage improves, more direct routes will be flown. The so-called Skyway should be operational from summer 2024 and there are plans and funding to expand the network.