Weekly review #113 - 25th August

ANSP news

• Crocontrol signs Cooperation Agreement with Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture - The Agreement has established a framework for long-term cooperation on educational, developmental, scientific research, innovational and professional activities that can significantly contribute to the successful realization of CCL’s development plans.
• LVNL switches entirely to satellite navigation - By introducing new virtual navigation points LVNL is today switching entirely to innovative satellite navigation. This means that aircraft will no longer navigate from and to take-off and landing runways using physical beacons on the ground, but a signal from satellites instead. This is a major step forwards by LVNL in terms of modernising Dutch airspace.

Market news

• Ports of Jersey upgrades airspace communication with FREQUENTIS IT voice system - Ports of Jersey Limited selected the Frequentis IT voice communication system in late 2020 to upgrade three end of life systems at its airport facilities to remain resilient and adopt digital voice technologies. Ports of Jersey also operates a Frequentis digital tower contingency system, the first of its kind in the British Isles to manage flights remotely.
• How to start up: FREQUENTIS and ONDEWO developed artificial intelligence prototype for emergency calls and voice automation - Frequentis started a cooperation with ONDEWO, an Austrian high-tech start-up developing advanced artificial intelligence algorithms for enabling machines to engage with humans in natural voice conversation, through Austria Wirtschaftsservice. The companies are successfully combining niche expertise with AI knowledge in safety-critical environments.

Reports and data

• Oro navigacija: the number of serviced flights in July increased – Lithuania is in the lead among the baltic countries - In July the total number of flights that received the services from the specialists of Oro Navigacija increased 1.8 times in comparison to the same period last year and amounted to 17.6 thousand flights.

Research and innovation

• Boeing and Alaska Airlines commence flight trials for key new components of Inmarsat's Iris air traffic modernisation programme - Inmarsat has announced its participation in this year’s Boeing ecoDemonstrator programme. The global initiative, which aims to enhance the sustainability and safety of air travel by testing the world’s most promising technologies, has commenced the first flight trials for important new components of Inmarsat’s Iris air traffic modernisation solution.

UAV and UTM

• Navifly launches UTM mapping tool for drone operators designed for drone operations at scale - Unmanned airspace - Irish U-space service provider Navifly has launched a ‘one-click’ UTM platform designed to provide the latest advisories for drone operators. Navifly’s NaviATC enables mass drone movements within a regulated environment. The automated platform presents the rules and regulations drafted by the authorities and applies them digitally to the airspace.
• First test flights for the SESAR GOF 2.0 demonstration project to start within weeks in Estonia - Unmanned airspace - The SESAR Very Large Demonstration project GOF 2.0 has announced the first wave of trials will start this Autumn. The first test flights will take place in Estonia beginning of September. The focus will be on operations in dense environments, including several use cases and scenarios such as eVTOL intercity and international flight, drone surveillance flights, automated parcel delivery, among others.
• GUTMA’s Harmonized Skies Webinar Series: That’s a Wrap - GUTMA’s Harmonized Skies webinar series consists of six webinars that took place in the period May – June 2021. The webinars focus on harmonizing UTM systems for the global drone services market. Our team has developed insightful summaries for each Harmonized Skies series webinar, capitalizing on the great input of our guest speakers.
• Switzerland “launches world first nationwide drone Network Remote Identification service” - Unmanned airspace - Swiss U-Space Implementation members, under the coordination of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation, have announced that a nationwide voluntary Network Remote Identification service is now live across Switzerland. NET-RID is a joint collaboration between AirMap, ANRA Technologies, Avision, Involi, OneSky, Orbitalize, Skyy Network, skyguide and Wing.
• New publication, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management: UTM, describes operational and regulatory environment - Unmanned airspace - Michael S Baum is the author of a new book - Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management: UTM. The book introduces unmanned aircraft systems traffic management and how this new paradigm in traffic management integrates unmanned aircraft operations into national airspace systems.