On 12th February 2019, Altitude Angel announced they have partnered with DJI to improve safety within the drone industry. Replacing AirMap for Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM platform, which enables any drone manufacturer or software developer to get access to accurate drone safety data, DJI has been able to extend the functionality of its geofencing solution (GEO 2.0) so it now more accurately reflects the highest safety risks around particular facilities.
Who are Altitude Angel?
Altitude Angel is an aviation technology company who create global-scale solutions that enable the safe integration and use of fully autonomous drones into global airspace. Their purpose-built cloud platform supports both U-Space and UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management), and delivers market-leading services to drone operators, manufacturers and software developers. Their innovative solutions for ATM (Air Traffic Management) enable them to access a rich source of real time airspace, environmental and regulatory data which is expertly customised to the specific operation.
What is the GuardianUTM system?
GuardianUTM enables drone manufacturers and software developers to connect into a rich, dynamic source of accurate, authoritative and relevant information to support geofencing, while offering enhanced UTM capabilities such as a single interface to multi-country flight authorisation.
The system is being deployed by NATS, the UK’s main air navigation service provider, and was demonstrated as part of ‘Operation Zenith’ in 2018, offering enhanced airport safeguarding and automated approvals to fly in controlled airspace. Altitude Angel is now bringing online functionality to enable drone pilots anywhere in the world to get 1-click access to controlled airspace.
It’s companion product, GuardianUTM O/S, supports all the functionality required to deliver national-grade drone traffic management capabilities to any country that wishes to safely unlock the potential of drones.
What Does This Partnership Mean for the Drone Industry?
A more sophisticated geo-fencing system will create a 3D no-go zone surrounding runway flight paths and other sensitive facilities. This improves on the simple circular structures previously used to block such areas.
In addition, DJI drones will benefit from real-time data from Temporary Flight Restrictions (such as those put for airshows, emergency situations and security warnings) which greatly enhances the operational data available to drone pilots. This data comes from the same aviation systems used by pilots around the world, enhanced for drone pilots by Altitude Angel.
Richard Parker, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Altitude Angel comments:
“We’re excited DJI has chosen our Guardian platform to provide a single interface to accurate, real-time data for 32 European countries, improving it’s geofencing solution to provide better safety.
“Our platform, combined with DJI’s market leading drone technology, will give pilots greater access to safer skies”.
Christian Struwe, DJI’s Head of Policy EMEA added:
“Altitude Angel provides us with a service which is best in class and it shares DJI’s commitment to ensure future advanced operations – both beyond line-of-sight and automated – can coexist without hampering the millions of safe flights e see today by recreation and professional drone pilots. Using Altitude Angel’s platform, DJI has been able to open up more of the skies to its customers, safely, while enhancing an industry led solution to airspace safety that can make a difference immediately”.
Coverdrone FlySafe App
Altitude Angel are one of Coverdrone’s well acquainted partners within the industry who developed the Coverdrone ‘Flysafe’ App. The ‘Flysafe’ App is a completely free app, designed to help our customers plan and conduct their drone flights quicker and safer than before. Its premium functionality delivers rich and accurate safety data ranging from airspace maps, dynamic restrictions, environmental conditions, privacy and safety hazards and even the location of much of the low-flying manned aviation traffic, straight to the palm of your hand.
Andrew Heath, Director of Coverdrone comments:
“It’s great to see Altitude Angel partnering with DJI, it reaffirms their market leading status and our decision to partner with them when developing our Coverdrone FlySafe app. For Altitude Angel it was always about the accuracy of the data from the outset and was the main reason why we chose them to develop our app. Operators need accurate data in order to make the right decisions.”
Download the Coverdrone ‘Flysafe’ App via the App Store or Google Play.