SeRo Systems awarded EUROCONTROL contract for1030/1090 MHz data collection service

• Follow-on to original contract awarded in 2020.
• EMIT platform provides comprehensive monitoring and analysis services

FRANKFURT, Germany March 20, 2024 – SeRo Systems, a leader in air traffic surveillance security and monitoring solutions, announced today that it has been awarded a 5-year follow-on contract for spectrum monitoring services from EUROCONTROL, the civil-military organization dedicated to supporting European aviation.

Under this contract, SeRo will continue to provide real-time datacollection and processing services, including host/data collection, preprocessing and a user interface, for the European Monitoring of Interrogators and Transponders (EMIT) platform. Developed bySeRo in 2020, EMIT provides comprehensive monitoring services, collects and manages the vast amount of data from the Europe-wide ground network of 1030/1090 MHz receivers, and combines the data feeds into a single feed. The system also processes the data, enabling automated detection and analysis of surveillance anomalies.

“We are honored to extend our partnership with EUROCONTROL to continue delivering critical spectrum monitoring services that enhance airspace safety and efficiency,” said Dr. Matthias Schäfer, managing director of SeRo Systems. “This contract leverages SeRo’s decade of experience in Big Data, high TRL surveillance data collection, and processing architecture, to help detect and analyze threats, including spectrum congestion or equipment malfunction. SeRo is committed to developing solutions that make air surveillance more secure and robust for stakeholders in Europe and around the world.”

“This system and SeRo have been an important part of our efforts to uphold the integrity of the CNS infrastructure and reduce spectrum congestion in our airspace,” added Petr Jonáš, EUROCONTROL ATM/CNS Expert. “Since 2020, EMIT has helped the European air traffic surveillance community not only monitor and manage frequency congestion but also detect and investigate incidents as well as avionics, transponder, and ground radar issues.”

Since its launch, EMIT has collected an impressive 3.15 trillion signals and boasts a growth rate of nearly 5 billion signals per day. Its capabilities include processing 90,000 signals per second during peak traffic hours, ensuring comprehensive monitoring and automated detection of anomalies within the European surveillance infrastructure. SeRo’s proprietary deduplication algorithm ensures precise data analysis, while features such as online analysis, data archiving, and sensor operations monitoring enhance the system’s effectiveness and usability.

About SeRo Systems
Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, SeRo Systems provides technology and engineering expertise to monitor and ensure the security and safety of air navigation and surveillance services and enforce spectrum and regulatory compliance. We design advanced passive air traffic surveillance sensors and operate a sensor network that collects ADS-B and spectrum data from commercial and military aircraft in the US and Europe. For more information about SeRo’s innovative solutions, visit www.sero-systems.de.

Faster drone flight approvals with FREQUENTIS automated risk assessment tool in Lithuania

• Frequentis digital application to cut the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) process time by up to 75 per cent
• Automated risk assessment will enable scalable beyond visual line of sight operations
• World’s first automated and digital risk analysis service as value add to an UTM system

Oro Navigacija, the air navigation service provider (ANSP) of Lithuania, is extending its Frequentis uncrewed traffic management (UTM) solution with a digital, automated, risk assessment tool to speed up the classification of the risk posed by a drone flight in the specific category of operations and for the identification of mitigations and of the safety objectives.

The digital application from skyzr, a member of the Frequentis Group, is the world’s first for automated risk analysis supporting drone operators with creating SORA according to the guidelines defined by the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking of Unmanned Systems and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), cutting operator process time by up to 75 per cent.

The service, called wingman, will be provided as a web and mobile friendly application to be integrated into the future Lithuania UTM system, once deployed and operational. It follows the strategy to create a complete drone environment as a one stop shop for value added drone related services.

“In Lithuania, as with the rest of the world, the commercial need for scalable drone operations is increasing. Therefore, we are pleased to be able to support our Lithuanian drone industry by providing “wingman” as first additional value-add service to create digital risk assessments for faster flight permissions,” said Saulius Batavičius, CEO Oro Navigacija. “We are pleased to continue working with Frequentis by extending our current UTM service portfolio, harnessing their experience from other drone integration projects, while incorporating the specific needs of our airspace.”

In June 2023, Oro Navigacija selected Frequentis to provide its proven UTM solution for safe, efficient, and conformant introduction of drones into Lithuanian airspace as drone use cases grow.

“Automated and efficient risk assessments for drone operations will add value and safety to the ecosystem and, in particular, for emergency services. skyzr is pleased to be providing this additional digital service for the first ANSP in Europe to facilitate commercially valuable and lifesaving drone use cases. The extension of the wingman application, alongside the Frequentis UTM system, will further enhance safety and conformance and the ability for drones to scale with the perceived demand,” says Markus Bardach, Managing Director skyzr.

About FREQUENTIS

Frequentis is a global supplier of communication and information systems for control centres with safety-critical tasks. The listed family company develops and markets its “control centre solutions” in the Air Traffic Management segment (civil and military air traffic control, air defence) and the Public Safety & Transport segment (police, fire brigades, emergency rescue services, railways, coastguards, port authorities). With a market share of 30%, Frequentis is the world market leader in voice communication systems for air traffic control. Frequentis is also the global leader in aeronautical information management and aeronautical message handling systems.

As a global player with around 2,200 employees (full-time equivalents/FTE), Frequentis has a global network of companies and representatives in more than 50 countries. Its head office is in Vienna, Austria. Frequentis’ products, services, and solutions are used at more than 45,000 operator working positions in around 150 countries. Shares in Frequentis are traded on the Vienna and Frankfurt stock exchanges; ISIN: ATFREQUENT09, WKN: A2PHG5. In 2022, revenues were EUR 386.0 million and EBIT was EUR 25.0 million.

Wherever Frequentis’ systems are used, safety-critical operators bear responsibility for the safety of other people and goods. The company also works towards a more sustainable future through its air traffic optimisation solutions.

For more information, please visit www.frequentis.com and www.skyzr.com

Jennifer McLellan, Global Media Relations Manager jennifer.mclellan@frequentis.com, +44 2030 050 188
Barbara Fuerchtegott, Head of Communications/Company Spokesperson barbara.fuerchtegott@frequentis.com, +43 1 81150-4631
Stefan Marin, Head of Investor Relations stefan.marin@frequentis.com, +43 1 81150-1074

NATS was crowned a winner at the prestigious Air Traffic Management Awards in Geneva yesterday (Tuesday 19 March), overcoming competition from highly deserving projects from around the world.  

The awards were held at CANSO Airspace World in recognition of the significant achievements by leaders, initiatives, and organisations in the air traffic management industry.  

NATS was a winner in the Reimagining ATM Operations category which sought to recognised new approaches to airspace design, route optimisation, airspace classification and dynamic airspace management.

The West Airspace Deployment was one of the largest and most technically complex airspace changes NATS has ever delivered. A project that was the culmination of more than five years of development, it was successfully implemented on 23 March 2023.   

Spanning 54,000nm², the airspace structure above 7,000ft over southwest England and Wales was transformed to support the future of air travel and enable simpler, safer and more efficient flying. This once in a generation airspace upgrade forms an important part of the aviation industry’s roadmap to deliver a more sustainable future for air travel and supports the UK government’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy.  

In a first for the UK, two separate airspace change proposals to introduce Systemisation and Free Route Airspace (FRA) operations were deployed simultaneously in a section of airspace that hosts some of the busiest routes for international flights to and from major UK airports.   

The Digital Transformation in ATM category looks to recognise those working to revolutionising ATM for increased efficiency, safety, and capacity. NATS, LVNL, Leidos UK and Think Research were runners up for the deployment of Intelligent Approach, which went live at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on 26 January 2023 following three years of close collaboration. 

Intelligent Approach is an aircraft spacing tool developed by NATS and Leidos UK that allows air traffic controllers to improve the consistency of spacing between arriving aircraft. That helps maximise runway capacity, reducing delays and emissions and – importantly for LVNL – the noise impact on local residents. 

Upon going live, Intelligent Approach immediately delivered up to six additional movements for each of Schiphol’s runways, not only delivering much needed tactical capacity but also allowing reduced usage of the airport’s most noise sensitive runways. 

NATS was also shortlisted in the Integration of Drones and Advanced Air Mobilitycategory, recognised for its work in Project AMEC – Air Mobility Ecosystem Consortium.  

Last year, NATS conducted the UK’s first major air traffic management simulations for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), demonstrating how eVTOLs could one day be safely integrated with conventional air traffic.   

The simulations were the culmination of three years of work creating the required infrastructure and processes for eVTOLs to safely operate in a complex airspace environment. The work has brought new airspace users a step closer to safely integrating with existing air traffic in the UK.   

Project AMEC aims to demonstrate the commercial and end to end operational viability of Advanced Air Mobility in the UK. It is jointly funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) Future Flight Challenge and is made up of NATS, Vertical Aerospace, Virgin Atlantic, AtkinsRéalis, Skyports, Connected Places Catapult, Cranfield University and WMG – University of Warwick, Bristol Airport, London City Airport and Heathrow Airport. 

Notes to Editors  

For more information contact the NATS Press Office on 01489 615945 or emailpress.office@nats.co.uk.   

About NATS     

NATS is the UK’s principal air navigation services provider and is split into two main businesses, which provide two distinct services:  

• NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) — the regulated business, which provides air traffic management services to aircraft within UK airspace and over the eastern part of the North Atlantic; and  

• NATS (Services) Ltd (NSL) — the unregulated business, which provides air traffic control services at many of the UK’s major airports (15 civil and 7 military airfields) and other airports overseas.  

NATS provides aerodrome, data, engineering, capacity, efficiency and environmental performance solutions to customers worldwide, including airports, airlines, air traffic service providers and governments.     

NATS handled 1.29m flights in the UK in the last financial year (2021/22), 50% of pre-pandemic traffic levels.   

For more information visit the NATS website at www.nats.aero  

DFS Aviation Services and SITA revolutionize Air Traffic Management with new AMAN/DMAN solution

DFS Aviation Services (DAS) and SITA have announced a collaboration to develop a coupled Arrival Manager (AMAN) and Departure Manager (DMAN) solution. This strategic partnership, aligned with the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the two entities, aims to revolutionize air traffic management and enhance operational efficiency at airports worldwide.

The primary goal of this collaboration is to optimize outbound and inbound traffic, maximizing runway throughput and utilization, particularly at airports with mixed mode operations. By integrating DAS’s ATC procedure expertise with SITA’s ground movement knowledge and A- CDM capability, the coupled AMAN/DMAN solution promises to streamline flight operations and improve coordination among approach, tower controllers, and apron management staff. This collaborative initiative ensures that the coupled AMAN/DMAN solution meets the diverse needs of both airspace and ground operations.

“With our combined strengths, we are ready to deliver an innovative solution,” said Andreas Pötzsch, Managing Director from DAS. “Our goal is to achieve ICAO ASBU compliancy and set new standards for flight efficiency and coordination.”

“The development of this solution is a testament to our commitment to innovation and collaboration,” stated Peter Drummond, Vice President Airports, from SITA. “By working closely with experts and users from both systems, we are developing a product that improves airport operations and enhances the overall airport experience.”

DFS Aviation Services GmbH
Carolin Walaski
Heinrich-Hertz-Straße 26
63225 Langen
Tel: +49160 97465000
carolin.walaski@dfs-as.aero

Spanish ENAIRE extends FREQUENTIS contingency communication and maintenance project for up to 12 years

• Contract for expansion and maintenance of the voice communication backup systems for all major Spanish air traffic control (ATC) centres
• Benefits to include increased capacity of air traffic controller radio and telephone resources improving the quality of contingency communications and resilience
• Full integration into ENAIRE’S digital communication network
• Extensive software maintenance element will prolong the system’s life span

Spanish air navigation service provider (ANSP) ENAIRE has selected Frequentis to complete an expansion of its contingency communication systems upgrade, known as Last Resort Voice.

Frequentis has been successfully collaborating with ENAIRE since 2020 to implement its IP-based voice communication solution across Spain, bringing on average one centre live per year. The latest contract expansion will include operational maintenance to extend the lifecycle of its systems. The systems are being provided to all major ATC centres as a backup system in the event of unavailability of the main voice communications.

“Frequentis has been providing ENAIRE with its VCS3020X IP-based voice communication system as a contingency system across nine locations in Spain since 2020,” says Hannu Juurakko, Frequentis Executive Vice President ATM Civil and Chairman of the ATM Executive Team. “Providing comprehensive maintenance services for those systems to keep them up to date and to protect ENAIRE’s investment is the next step in this process to maximise the life cycle of the system.”

The project period is six years, with two potential three-year extensions, guaranteeing provision and coverage of operational needs for the next decade. Full integration into ENAIRE’s internet protocol (IP) communication network will facilitate the migration to voice over IP (VoIP), replacing older analogue features.

“We are facing an ambitious project that will allow us to have a contingency voice communication system for our control centres, with all the capabilities for oral communications between controllers and with pilots. This will allow us to ensure the provision of air traffic control service in a more efficient way and with the use of cutting-edge digital technology,” says Enrique Maurer, CEO ENAIRE.

About FREQUENTIS

Frequentis is a global supplier of communication and information systems for control centres with safety- critical tasks. The listed family company develops and markets its “control centre solutions” in the Air Traffic Management segment (civil and military air traffic control, air defence) and the Public Safety & Transport segment (police, fire brigades, emergency rescue services, railways, coastguards, port authorities). With a market share of 30%, Frequentis is the world market leader in voice communication systems for air traffic control. Frequentis is also the global leader in aeronautical information management and aeronautical message handling systems.

As a global player with around 2,200 employees (full-time equivalents/FTE), Frequentis has a global network of companies and representatives in more than 50 countries. Its head office is in Vienna, Austria. Frequentis’ products, services, and solutions are used at more than 45,000 operator working positions in around

150 countries. Shares in Frequentis are traded on the Vienna and Frankfurt stock exchanges; ISIN: ATFREQUENT09, WKN: A2PHG5. In 2022, revenues were EUR 386.0 million and EBIT was EUR 25.0 million.

Wherever Frequentis’ systems are used, safety-critical operators bear responsibility for the safety of other people and goods. The company also works towards a more sustainable future through its air traffic optimisation solutions.

For more information, please visit www.frequentis.com
Jennifer McLellan, Global Media Relations Manager jennifer.mclellan@frequentis.com, +44 2030 050 188
Barbara Fuerchtegott, Head of Communications/Company Spokesperson barbara.fuerchtegott@frequentis.com, +43 1 81150-4631
Stefan Marin, Head of Investor Relations stefan.marin@frequentis.com, +43 1 81150-1074

Adacel awarded new FAA contract for TSS System Software and Support

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – 20 March 2024 – Adacel Technologies Limited. (Adacel or the Company), an industry leader in advanced Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulation and training solutions, announces a new contract award from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The contract, a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, includes a one-year Base Period and four, one-year Option Periods. Under this contract, Adacel will provide ATC Tower Simulation System (TSS) Software and Support Services for technical and operational training of Air Traffic Controllers at selected FAA Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs). Adacel estimates the total value of the contract over its five-year duration to be USD$6.7 million contingent on
the optional years exercised.

Speaking about the award, Daniel Verret, Adacel’s CEO states, “As the FAA TSS software Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), we are thrilled with the confidence the Federal Aviation Administration continues to place in our team, products, and services. Adacel consistently improves the performance of its ATC simulation software, while maintaining the highest levels of availability and reliability. We look forward to successfully supporting the FAA TSS software and deploying our latest ATC training software solutions to the FAA.”

The comprehensive scope of the awarded contract includes TSS software support andmaintenance plus options to update the TSS simulation engine, speech recognition software and migrate the FAA’s current Image Generator to AeroScene, Adacel’s latest and state-of-theart image generator solution.

“We are fully committed in supporting the FAA to successfully recruit, train, and enhance the skills of Air Traffic Controllers at critical National Airspace System (NAS) terminal facilities and ensure each day is a training day with Adacel’s high-performing simulation and training solutions,” continues Mr. Verret.

This contract reaffirms Adacel’s industry leadership and ongoing collaboration with the FAA, spanning over two decades. By delivering industry-leading technology and solutions, Adacel remains committed to advancing air traffic control simulation and training systems for the
benefit of the aviation industry.

This contract award has already been included in the Company’s forecasts. There are nomaterial conditions that need to be satisfied before the contract becomes legally binding.

ENDS
This announcement was authorized for release by the Board of Directors.

About Adacel:
Established in 1987, Adacel is a publicly traded company listed on the ASX. The company plays a significant role in global air space safety. A world-leader in its industry, Adacel applies cutting-edge technologies to develop advanced air traffic control simulation and training systems and state-of-the- art air traffic management solutions. Adacel’s customers include international air navigation service providers (ANSPs), military, defense & security organizations, universities, and airport authorities.

More than 21% of the world’s airspace is managed with Adacel’s Aurora ATM software. MaxSim Tower Simulator and Training systems lead the industry with the highest number of installations worldwide. MaxSim is also the first ATC simulation system in the world to deliver Virtual and Mixed Reality training capabilities into the classroom. Adacel’s latest flagship system, REVAL, a digital Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower system delivers a wide spectrum of digital tower operational solutions, from consulting services to system design, development, deployment, and support.

For more information, please visit adacel.com.

For further information, contact:
Daniel Verret
Chief Executive Officer
+1 (514) 558 9801
dverret@adacel.com

Sally McDow
Company Secretary
+61 431 240 642
sally.mcdow@boardroomlimited.com.au

CANSO welcomes two new members including its first Academia Member – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

CANSO is delighted to welcome Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as its newest Member and the very first organisation to join CANSO’s Academia and Research membership category.

The official welcoming of Embry-Riddle took place today (19 March), the first day of Airspace World – the world’s largest and most influential airspace and near-space management event.

CANSO’s Membership category for Academia and Research organisations targets organisations focused on fostering education, research, and knowledge dissemination in the aviation field and is aimed at those who specialise in matters related to aviation and air traffic management.

This strategic move of CANSO aims to foster collaboration between Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and academia and research institutions. By joining CANSO, not-for-profit institutions dedicated to advancing air traffic management will have a platform to engage with industry stakeholders and contribute to impactful research initiatives.

“We are delighted to announce that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has submitted the first application to join the Academia and Research Membership,” commented Eduardo Garcia, CANSO Senior Manager Future Skies.  “This milestone achievement, celebrated today during Airspace World, signifies the beginning of an exciting journey towards fostering collaboration, innovation, and mutual growth,” he added.

“We are proud and thrilled to become the first academia member of CANSO,” said Clyde Rinkinen, Associate Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (pictured above, right, with Simon Hocquard, Director General, CANSO). “We hope that our membership with CANSO will provide us the platform to facilitate independent research and training on aviation-related topics for CANSO members and workgroups. Moreover, we are looking forward to participating in discussions and exchanging knowledge to bridge the gap between academia and the air-traffic management industry,” he added.

Other CANSO membership benefits in this category include participation in CANSO groups, collaboration on research projects, potential involvement in postgraduate scholarship programmes, enhanced visibility within the ATM community, and opportunities to promote educational courses and study programmes.

In addition to extending a warm welcome to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, CANSO is delighted to announce the addition of NASA as an Associate member. This new partnership underscores CANSO’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation within the aviation industry. With NASA’s renowned expertise and groundbreaking research in aerospace exploration and technology, their participation as an Associate member will enrich the collective knowledge and drive forward-thinking initiatives aimed at advancing air traffic management and airspace operations globally. CANSO looks forward to the valuable contributions and insights that NASA will bring to the organisation’s collaborative efforts towards shaping the future of aviation.

About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world leader in aviation and aerospace higher education.  Our mission is to teach the science, practice and business of aviation and aerospace, preparing students for productive careers and leadership roles in business, government agencies and the military.  Embry-Riddle’s reputation is grounded in its aviation roots dating back to 1926.

About CANSO

CANSO – the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation – is the global voice of airspace and is shaping our future skies. Our members support over 90% of the world’s air traffic and include air navigation service providers, airspace users and operators, manufacturers and aviation industry suppliers. We raise the bar on global ATM performance by connecting the industry to share knowledge, expertise and innovation.

Contact:

Angy Odysseos

Media Relations Manager

CANSO

Angy.odysseos@canso.org

+31625183795

Intelligent Approach now fully incorporated in Indra ATM Systems to increase capacity at high traffic volume airports 

Indra’s ManagAir air traffic management system, one of the most widely used in control centres and airports around the world, now incorporates the NATS and Leidos developed Intelligent Approach system. 

Intelligent Approach has been deployed at some of the world’s busiest airports to deliver additional tactical capacity, increase on time performance and reduce emissions per-flight.  

In continuous operation at Heathrow since 2015, Intelligent Approach was deployed at Toronto Pearson in 2022 and then Amsterdam Schiphol in early 2023. Once it went live at Amsterdam, it increased the airport’s capacity by up to six additional landings per hour, per runway.  

The partnership agreement signed between the three companies means users of Indra Air Traffic Management systems in over 50 countries now have the option to seamlessly integrate Intelligent Approach – including time-based separation and wake vortex re-categorisation – into their operations. 

Intelligent Approach allows air traffic controllers to optimise the spacing between arriving aircraft based on time rather than distance and thereby maximise runway capacity, reducing delays, and cutting fuel burn and emissions per-flight. It dynamically calculates the optimum time between arrivals based on aircraft size and type together with their runway occupancy time. 

Intelligent Approach uses the latest wake vortex categorisation and dynamically calculates the spacing between arrivals based on real time wind conditions, rather than relying on wind forecasts and set distances. It has been shown to help airports increase the capacity of their existing runways without the need for any new airfield equipment or infrastructure.  
 
Managing Director of ATM at Indra, Javier Ruano, said: “This collaboration allows us to accelerate the introduction of the most innovative technologies to move towards a greener and more sustainable aviation. It provides our clients with quick and easy access to the most cutting-edge technologies that have demonstrated a real ability to increase the efficiency of their operations.” 

Indra’s Chief Executive Director, José Vicente de los Mozos, said: “This collaboration allows us to accelerate the introduction of the most innovative technologies to move towards a greener and more sustainable aviation. It provides our clients with quick and easy access to the most cutting-edge technologies that have demonstrated a real ability to increase the efficiency of their operations.” 

Martin Rolfe, NATS Chief Executive Officer, said: “Intelligent Approach has a proven track record of delivering addition runway capacity wherever it has been deployed. This new agreement means Indra customers all over the world can now more easily enjoy those benefits, increasing their operational efficiency, improving on-time performance, and reducing fuel burn per-flight.” 

Graham Emmons, Vice President & Managing Director, Civil at Leidos UK & Europe said: “This is an exciting milestone for Intelligent Approach as more airports globally may be able to reap the benefits it delivers. As evidenced by our most recent deployments, Intelligent Approach not only supports operational enhancements to existing airport infrastructure, but also contributes to environmental improvements. These include a reduction in overall airport CO2 emissions and decreased usage of noise-sensitive runways. We look forward to supporting future deployments.” 

Notes to Editors 

For more information contact the NATS Press Office on 01489 615945, or email press.office@nats.co.uk  

Pictured L-R: Javier Ruano, Managing Director of ATM at Indra; Raúl Martín, ATM International Director at Indra; Andy Shand, Leidos Director; José Vicente de los Mozos, Indra CEO; Martin Rolfe, NATS CEO; Víctor Martínez, Director of ATM Northern Europe and Canada; Graham Emmons, Vice President & Managing Director, Civil at Leidos UK & Europe.

About NATS    

NATS is the UK’s principal air navigation services provider and is split into two main businesses, which provide two distinct services: 

• NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) — the regulated business, which provides air traffic management services to aircraft within UK airspace and over the eastern part of the North Atlantic; and 
• NATS (Services) Ltd (NSL) — the unregulated business, which provides air traffic control services at many of the UK’s major airports (15 civil and 7 military airfields) and other airports overseas. 

NATS provides UTM, aerodrome, data, engineering, capacity, efficiency and environmental performance solutions to customers worldwide, including airports, airlines, air traffic service providers and governments.    

For more information visit the NATS website at www.nats.aero     

About Leidos 
Leidos is a Fortune 500® innovation company rapidly addressing the world’s most vexing challenges in national security and health. The company’s global workforce of 47,000 collaborates to create smarter technology solutions for customers in heavily regulated industries. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $15.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023. For more information, visit www.leidos.com. 

Building the future of ATM Together

When an industry’s main driver is safety, change happens in incremental, exceedingly cautious steps. In the Air Traffic Management (ATM) sector, where the slightest error or malfunction can have catastrophic consequences, the integration of each new functionality and/or technology requires extensive testing and, consequently, long lead-times. This increasing demand on safety will not reduce in the future with the new EASA regulation on safety and cyber-security for ground equipment. We can all be satisfied with this trend in a context of growing air traffic demand. At the same time, however, it is now clear to the entire ATM ecosystem that it will not be possible to manage this growing flow safely without accelerating the speed at which we integrate new technologies into our solutions. That is why, over the past decade, Thales has been working on the development of TopSky – ATC new release.

Designed for easier adaptation to changing traffic flows and faster integration of new functionalities and technologies, TopSky – ATC new release is not just a solution, it is also an alliance and a service allowing users to pool resources and work together for the future of ATM– be it flexible, sustainable, or technologically advanced.

TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE OPEN, SAFE AND SECURE ATM

When the world was in the midst (and the worst) of the Covid-19 crisis, it was difficult to imagine that such worldwide catastrophe could potentially bring positive changes.

However, four years after the world came to a complete stop; air travel demand continues to increase much faster than previously anticipated. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2023 international traffic had almost completely caught up with 2019
levels (88.6%). This was supposed to take five years, according to post-pandemic predictions. It took a mere two. Moreover, the disruptions passengers experienced in the year following the end of worldwide major lockdowns due to shortage of staff forced the ATM world to face the fact that its revenue model was no longer viable in an increasingly unpredictable world.

In other words, increasing the number of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCO) while decreasing the size of their areas of responsibility – to make traffic management humanly manageable – is no longer a solution in many cases. The swift post Covid-19 recovery of air travel is now conducive
to take the opportunity to explore new ways to address air traffic fluctuations by opening-up the ATM world to key technological advances.

Nats Services and Altitude Angel partner to deliver integrated traffic management services portfolio

NATS Services, the commercial arm of the UK’s leading ANSP and Altitude Angel, a global leader in unified traffic management (UTM) and creators of the 165 mile UK drone superhighway, have chosen the first day of Airspace World Expo in Geneva to announce a strategic commercial partnership which will revolutionise the way the sky is managed for new airspace users. 

The combination of Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM suite of technologies and NATS Services’ leading airspace management expertise will enable competitive and innovative services to integrate new airspace users, while maintaining safe operations for its existing commercial aviation customers.

This deal will also see GuardianUTM Flight Approval Services being deployed at some NATS-controlled airports later in 2024, allowing for digitally managed UTM flight requests and approvals and enhanced situational awareness.

The partnership will also accelerate Altitude Angel’s roll-out of its transformative ARROW technology, which when fused with its GuardianUTM platform, detects and identifies all airspace users, enabling drones to fly BVLOS and share the airspace with crewed aviation safely and securely.

On the strategic partnership, Guy Adams, Managing Director of NATS Services, said: “Supporting the development of New Airspace Users through airspace integration and the provision of new services is one of our strategic priorities. This partnership with Altitude Angel is a milestone in UK aviation, bringing together the technology, operational expertise and innovation that will allow us to further support the industry.

“The combination of Altitude Angel’s UTM technologies and NATS’ deep understanding of air traffic and airspace management will allow us to further embrace the integration of this new generation of airspace users, while also continuing to deliver the very highest standards of safety and efficiency.”

Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder, added: “Through this alliance, NATS and Altitude Angel bring together the unparalleled strength of air traffic control expertise with the world leading innovation of UTM.

“This partnership brings together in-depth knowledge, real-world experience, and, most importantly, a shared vision for a future where the skies are not just open but interconnected, where traditional and emerging aviation seamlessly coexist. Together, we will create an airspace which reflects the harmony of collaboration and the promise of a safer, more sustainable aviation future for all. We are pleased our leadership and innovation has been recognised by NATS as important to not only its future, but to the future of UK airspace.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Stephen Farmer, Altitude Angel, Head of Corporate Communications & PR

stephen@altitudeangel.com

Notes to editors  

PICTURE

L-R   Martin Rolfe, NATS, CEO & Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder

About NATS  

NATS is the UK’s principal air navigation services provider and is split into two main businesses, which provide two distinct services:

• NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) — the regulated business, which provides air traffic management services to aircraft within UK airspace and over the eastern part of the North Atlantic; and

• NATS (Services) Ltd (NSL) — the unregulated business, which provides air traffic control services at many of the UK’s major airports (15 civil and 7 military airfields) and other airports overseas.

NATS provides UTM, aerodrome, data, engineering, capacity, efficiency and environmental performance solutions to customers worldwide, including airports, airlines, air traffic service providers and governments.

About Altitude Angel

Altitude Angel is an award-winning provider of UTM (Unified Traffic Management) software, enabling those planning to operate, or develop UTM/U-Space solutions, to quickly integrate robust data and services with minimum effort. Its technologies include Common Information Service (CIS) UTM Service Provider (USSP) and UTM Supplemental Data Services Provider (SDSP) capabilities, combined on a central platform which is connected to hundreds of thousands of drone pilots worldwide.

Today, Altitude Angel’s market-defining technology is providing a critical, enabling service on which the future of UTM will be built across the globe. Altitude Angel is leading a consortium of businesses to build and develop 165 miles (265km) of ‘drone superhighways’ connecting airspace above Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Coventry, and Rugby over the next two years. The Skyway superhighway network, enabled using Altitude Angel’s patented ARROW technology, will unlock the huge potential offered by unmanned aerial vehicles and be a catalyst to enable growth in the urban air mobility industry.
Altitude Angel’s first party solutions also power some of the world’s leading ANSPs, aviation authorities and Enterprises, including LVNL (Netherlands) and Avinor (Norway), empowering them with new capabilities to safely manage and integrate drone traffic into national operations.

By unlocking the potential of drones and helping national aviation authorities, ANSPs, developers and enterprise organisations, Altitude Angel is establishing new services to support the growth in the drone industry.

Altitude Angel was founded by Richard Parker in 2014 and is headquartered in Reading, UK. 

Altitude Angel’s developer platform is open and available to all at https://developers.altitudeangel.com