Dronecloud, the drone Flight Management Software provider, has selected Frequentis to join a
consortium that will collaborate on the development of open standard integrations to help
unlock Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone flights in the UK. Frequentis will support
Dronecloud and the consortium with its vast and extensive experience in deploying its
unmanned traffic management (UTM) solution – MosaiX UTM. This solution provides the air
traffic control (ATC) front-end application and the Common Information Service (CIS) cloud
platform during project execution.
The intuitive tower application, smartSIS, developed by Frequentis with the strong involvement of user
interface experts in close cooperation with air traffic controllers (ATCOs), allows airspace rules and
restrictions to be set fairly for all airspace users. The solution provides an integrated air situation picture
and supports real-time decision-making. In addition, the MosaiX UTM includes a foundation for U-space
(unmanned airspace) services and the CIS function, serving as the “single source of truth” for relevant
safety information to reach connected stakeholders.
As part of Project Rise field trials, Cranfield Airport will be trialling Dronecloud and Frequentis’
integration in parallel with ATC. Robert Abbott, Director of Aviation Operations at Cranfield University,
said: “Cranfield Airport is excited to be supporting Cranfield University and other consortium members
on Rise and further expropriation of utilisation with other drone and UTM systems. Cranfield Airport is
looking forward to trialling Dronecloud and Frequentis as part of this important research project.”
Dr Saba Al-Rubaye (Principal Investigator), Senior Lecturer in Autonomous and Connected Systems at
Cranfield University added: ”We’re delighted to be part of the Project Rise team, and welcome
Frequentis to the project. Together we are working to address the challenge of establishing reliable
data and communication systems for unmanned aerial operations and their safe operation with manned
aircraft in the same airspace.”
“The key to unlocking the full potential of drones is allowing them to fly beyond visual line of sight,” says
Guenter Graf, Frequentis Vice President Business Development. “To operate under these conditions
both manned aviation and drones must have access to a shared air situation picture. Together with
Dronecloud and other consortium members we intend to demonstrate an Unmanned Traffic Page 2 | 3
Management ecosystem, incorporating end-to-end communication and an approval process between
drone operators and air traffic control authorities.”
Dronecloud is leading the Project Rise consortium, formed as part of the Future Flight Challenge
funded by UK Research and Innovation, through the multi-billion-pound Industrial Strategy Challenge
Fund. The consortium is composed of key industry partners, including Frequentis, Sky-Drones,
Cranfield University and Skyports. The project is part of an overall effort across the drone industry to
integrate disparate systems at scale, to achieve safer, more reliable and auditable drone flights, even
beyond the line of sight.
Frequentis already has extensive experience with the integration of air traffic management (ATM) and
UTM, and is currently implementing the first UTM system in the Nordic region, for Norway’s Avinor Air
Navigation Services. This is the first UTM system to receive Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval for
implementation. The company is also the largest industry partner in the Austrian AIRLabs project,
aiming to build and operate test sites for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), covering all development
stages from simulation to actual state-of-the-art BVLOS drone missions.
“Welcoming Frequentis to Project Rise was a natural fit. Frequentis brings a proven track record in
delivering safety critical systems for Air Traffic Control and other airspace managers. Combined with
Dronecloud and the other consortium partners, we are developing a standardised, automated digital
flight approval solution ready to unlock BVLOS flights, safely at scale. This in turn will form one of the
backbone elements of the eventual ‘System of Systems’ the industry will need to offer increasing levels
of automation and autonomy. If we get these critical building blocks right, the hype around drone-based
last-mile delivery in built up areas, and Urban Air Mobility will become reality,” Dronecloud Co-founder
and CEO, Jan Domaradzki.
