hlt.today logo n
Monday, January 22, 2024

UK: National Air Traffic Services Joined Forces with the BVLOS Operations Forum

HLS.Today Featured Image (26)

Pioneering companies in the emerging uncrewed aviation industry have joined forces in a forum established by air traffic control leader NATS, to break through the barriers to the UK industry’s development.

 

The BVLOS Operations Forum, which includes the UK’s leading beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operators, brings together organisations at the cutting edge of uncrewed flight to learn from each other’s experiences collectively improve their operations, and jointly develop solutions to the challenges faced by this fast-growing industry.

The ever-increasing number of operators believe there are huge potential benefits to achieving routine BVLOS flights – including increased connectivity, decarbonisation, and economic opportunities for all parts of the country.  Because innovation in this sector has moved so quickly, regulations have not yet caught up, meaning BVLOS flights are still restricted to specific areas.  

Some progress has been achieved, and the Forum has actively supported recent policy initiatives which set out a positive direction from the Government and the regulator.  However, operators are still operating in restricted spaces.  While these have allowed the sector to hone operations and develop real opportunities for BVLOS services, many operators, including members of the BVLOS Operations Forum, have now outgrown the available capacity and the constraints are posing a genuine challenge to their business model.  

 

Looking for ways to address that, while encouraging ever-increasing safety standards is the central mission of the Forum.

“The BVLOS Operations Forum has given those seeking to operate uncrewed aircraft beyond-visual-line-of-sight a platform to work together, and a means for driving change and establishing a safe and workable regulatory regime that will benefit the industry as a whole” said Russell Porter, Head of UTM Programmes at NATS and Chair of the BVLOS Operations Forum.

“This method of working together has been used by traditional airspace operators for many years and has contributed to the robust safety culture that exists today.  By uniting uncrewed operators with extensive experience and equally extensive ambition we can develop a similarly robust safety culture, and collectively plot a course toward safely integrated BVLOS operations.” 

The founding members of the Forum include ARPAS UK, Blue Bear, Callen Lenz, Flylogix, Maritime & Coastguard Agency, NATS, Network Rail, sees.ai, Skyports and Windracers, all of whom are actively involved in developing BVLOS operations, and some of whom are already operating BVLOS flights commercially.

The shared goal is to achieve routine BVLOS operations, outside of restricted areas and integrated with other traffic, making uncrewed aircraft a safe and effective option in the aeronautical toolbox.

Source: Air Traffic Management

Share:

Featured

Topics, Products, Events, Opportunities:

Our Weekly Top Articles

Related Articles

A comment or question? Drop us a line.

About HLS.Today

HLS.Today’s purpose is to cover news and information for the public and private sectors. We are also covering the latest product and service innovations in the homeland security and public safety industries at large. The main objective of this information platform is to provide professionals and executives with relevant information and tools to enrich their knowledge when making an informed decision.

We invite you to join our weekly newsletter, which will cover the featured stories and most read articles of the week in your email. We also don’t like spam emails and promise you we will not share your emails with anyone. Contact us and add your email to our mailing list.

Skip to content