An eighteen-month trial has been launched in Israel during which an uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system will be for the first time used to manage air traffic in designated U-spaces.
The UTM system and other technologies are being provided High Lander and Ayalon Highways, an Israeli Government-linked transportation solution provider.
The Israeli Government Companies Authority and Israel Innovation Authority have elected to use High Lander’s Vega UTM platform to create U-spaces in predefined airspaces and timeframes, wherever in the country these may be.
When a U-space is activated, anybody who wishes to fly a drone within this area will need to submit a flight plan to Vega UTM to be compliant with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. This is the first time that accessing a UTM network has become a regulatory necessity.
Daniella Partem, head of the Israel innovation authority’s center for the fourth industrial revolution said, “Israel has been devoting considerable resources to the development of a national drone infrastructure for years now, and the launch of a UTM system on such a scale is the latest culmination of our efforts.
“Nationwide airspace management is a huge technical undertaking - we selected High Lander’s platform for this pilot because we believe that it has demonstrated the maturity and scalability necessary to handle this challenge.”
According to High Lander, the project is the world’s largest implementation of UTM so far and a crucial step towards permanent implementation of a nationwide U-space. The company said it will create an opportunity to educate official personnel on the use of the system, as well as providing a crucial stress test of a new infrastructure type that’s set to become a fundamental requirement for aviation authorities worldwide.
Alon Abelson, CEO of High Lander said, “We are incredibly proud to be selected as the official provider of UTM services in Israel. This country has always been a global leader in technology, and the establishment of a new national air traffic management infrastructure will be one of the more significant technological developments of the modern age.
“To be chosen as the first company to provide this technology is a great honor, and we are more than confident that Vega UTM will continue to prove its effectiveness.”
High Lander, which is embarking on this initiative with the support of Ayalon Highways, is a member of the Global UTM Association and a strong proponent of UTM technology standards.
Meital Goren, director of autonomous technology implementation of Ayalon Highways said, “We’re very excited about this pioneering project which is sure to be the first of many such initiatives worldwide.
“High Lander was selected to provide the UTM platform because its solution has proved its effectiveness over a multitude of demanding projects and demonstrations over the last few years. We feel confident that this initiative will lay the groundwork for a long-term infrastructure in the future.”