Denmark is testing a new traffic management platform for drones, which is designed to facilitate the integration of commercial UAVs into the country’s airspace.
The so-called UTM platform serves to ensure safe and efficient flight of thousands of commercial drones, in full integration with conventional air traffic.
The number of commercial drones in Denmark is expected to surpass 12,000 in five years, and that growth will increase further in the years beyond.
Due to the expected growth, the implementation of a new Danish traffic management platform for drones seeks to accommodate the need for safe and efficient management of drone traffic, in full integration with the general air traffic.
“There is no doubt that drones are of great interest in Denmark, where alone 5,000 commercial drones are registered,” said Denmark’sMinister for Transport, Benny Engelbrecht.
“This number is expected to rise over the years, which is why we have great interest in developing a system that is able to coordinate the routes of the drones and ensure their simultaneous flights alongside our aircraft – with no negative implications for the conventional air traffic or possible inconvenience for people in general.
“The use of drones has tremendous potential to benefit from, within trade, delivery of goods, and in the future, maybe even as a way of travel. I am therefore very excited to follow the development and results of the test system that Naviair has developed.”
The UTM system will initially be tested at a single airport but will be gradually deployed across the country from 2021.
The UTM platform will be expanded with additional and increasingly advanced functions, which over time, will make it possible to carry out very complex drone operations, in full integration with existing air traffic.
In Denmark, drones are currently only allowed to fly within the visual line of sight of the drone operator, and under tight regulations. When the UTM platform is fully operational, it will be possible for the drone operator to fly beyond visual line of sight.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, projects that by 2025, 200,000 drones will be airborne around the clock all over Europe.
