uAvionix has announced the integration of its FlightLine surveillance services with Volant Autonomy’s advanced ITM (Integrated Traffic Management) system for ALIAS (Agile and Integrated Airspace System), a UK Government $5M Future Flight Phase III project. The collaboration, showcased in the Channel Islands, is an important step forward in advancing the integration of unsegregated crewed and uncrewed operations into the UK airspace system and supporting Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations for Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). This development highlights the capabilities of UAS for numerous airborne applications, particularly as the UK’s CAA begins to adopt SORA (Specific Operation Risk Assessment) as the roadmap to scalable BVLOS operations.
Following the successful completion of Project ALIAS in June 2024, Volant Autonomy has seen a surge in interest for their BVLOS enabling technology. uAvionix’s FlightLine system proved to be an asset in supporting the consortium’s demonstration flights. Anthony Lawrenson, COO of Volant Autonomy, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating:
“As the ALIAS Project Lead, I was very impressed with the support provided by uAvionix and the quality of their FlightLine system. I am confident this initial collaboration will lead to much greater opportunities in the near future. We picked up some great data while testing our Flyte Autonomy and DAA (Detect & Avoid) systems including high quality data from the FlightLine system that supported safe and coordinated operations of crewed and uncrewed aircraft.”
The integration of uAvionix FlightLine API into Volant’s system delivered timely and reliable Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) positional data which formed an important part of the ALIAS Traffic Information Service (TIS). The provision of acquiring and utilizing high assurance positional data in collaboration with primary and secondary radar feeds from Ports of Jersey ATC (Air Traffic Control) is a key enabler for Volant’s DAA solution, which adheres to the RTCA’s ACAS sXu (Aircraft Collision Avoidance System) standards.
As well as providing safe and dynamic separation of Draken’s Diamond DA-42 with UAVs operated by SkyLift and SkyPorts, the latest ALIAS trials, saw SkyLift uncrewed aircraft operating in and out of Jersey Airport, in the Channel Islands, showcasing the realistic potential for the provision of multiple airborne services safely operating within a live ATC environment.
David Cleaver, CEO of Volant Autonomy, stated, “The use of the uAvionix FlightLine surveillance service aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver state-of-the-art ITM solutions to the global aerospace industry. Our combined expertise and technology, particularly in the development of certifiable DAA solutions, provide a robust framework for the future of BVLOS operations.”
Paul Beard, founder and CTO of uAvionix, added, “The integration of high assurance data and the use of aviation-grade certifiable systems are crucial to enabling scalable BVLOS operations in Europe and the US. The ALIAS project has provided an excellent platform to demonstrate these capabilities, showcasing how such advancements can significantly enhance the safety and reliability of integrated airspace systems.
