Following an open and competitive tender process, Air Traffic Management (ATM) expert, Frequentis has been awarded the contract to provide Norway’s leading Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), Avinor Air Navigation Services, with its first Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) solution.
Norway to become first Nordic country to implement a UTM system.
“With this contract Avinor Air Navigation Services and Frequentis will open up the Norwegian airspace for advanced use of drones in the coming years. In 2018 the Norwegian government published a strategy for drones in Norway, and we are delighted to be able to deliver the first foundations to a UTM system in close cooperation with Frequentis.” says Avinor Air Navigation Services CEO, Anders Kirsebom
Frequentis will partner with industry-leading UTM technology provider, Altitude Angel, for the deployment of the UTM solution, which will provide Norway’s Avinor Air Navigation Services with a technically advanced UTM solution. This will allow the organisation to begin safely integrating drones into controlled airspace at 18 airports across Norway.
Norway will be the first country in the Nordic region to implement a UTM system, highlighting Avinor Air Navigation Services’ dedication to the industry. Being at the forefront of the drone development, the technically advanced UTM solution will provide Avinor Air Navigation Services the means to accelerate safe integration of drones and help to further increase the use of this technology in Norwegian airspace for years to come.
During Frequentis’ initial three-year contract, with an extra option for one + one years, the company will provide Avinor Air Navigation Services with several products and services to facilitate the safe integration of drones into Avinor Air Navigation Services’ controlled airspace. These products and services include an ATM-grade Flight Information Management System (FIMS), a foundation of U- Space services that enables Avinor ANS to open Norwegian airspace to commercial drone use, as well as a drone registration system and web and mobile flight planning application.
“Frequentis is proud to have been selected, with our strategic partner Altitude Angel, for the deployment of the first nation-wide UTM system to support Avinor Air Navigation Services’ goals for the safe and efficient integration of drones into Norwegian airspace. Our future-proof and scalable UTM services are critical for meeting the current and future demands of evolving drone technology, set to transform critical industry, paving the way for drone delivery services to be supported sooner than anticipated.” says Frequentis Vice President ATM, Hannu Juurakko.
The joint Altitude Angel/Frequentis UTM solution is highly scalable and will build the structure to allow the safe integration of UAVs into controlled airspace, supporting Norway’s commitment to the countries drone strategy.
“Norway is a very forward thinking and technologically savvy country in which the use of drones and UAVs will undoubtedly form a key part of its future tech-economy. Frequentis and Altitude Angel will provide Avinor with the tools to integrate drones and general aviation on one simple platform.” added Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder. “This is just the first step to enabling future BVLOS flights, ultimately opening the skies above Norway to drone operations ranging from SAR and blue light support to commercial package delivery. We’re pleased to support Frequentis and bring our five-year experience and technology to open up Norway’s skies.”
Altitude Angel and Frequentis: A brief history
In 2017, Frequentis invested in Altitude Angel, bringing together two very different businesses in the sphere of aviation – Frequentis, with its rich heritage in developing and deploying cutting-edge tower technology to ANSPs around the globe, and Altitude Angel, then a small start-up developing revolutionary UTM platforms and flight-planning tools for the emerging commercial UAV market.
Since then, the partnership has continued to grow and develop and was publicly showcased at the widely acclaimed Operation Zenith which took place at Manchester Airport in November 2018. Here, Altitude Angel, Frequentis and the other Operation partners showed how no UTM solution is complete without the ability to integrate deeply and seamlessly into existing ATM systems and processes.
