As more drones take to the skies, developing a reliable way to identify them quickly has taken on greater importance. As GovTech.com reports, the InterUSS Platform Open Source project has developed an app that allows drone pilots to communicate with each other in flight. The shared software means that tower climbers working in tandem with Unmanned Aircraft Systems, can talk with each other on the job and work together to gather information efficiently.
Drones relaying information to each other can compare flight information to warn of FAA airspace restrictions and on site hazards. The InterUSS Platform is a joint venture of AirMap, Uber, Wing and the Federal Office of Civil Aviation of Switzerland, with the input of various experts around the globe. This remote identification system is an open platform, but was designed for the benefit of government agencies and law enforcement.
Drone pilots are currently subject to a number of regulations that are continually evolving. Benjamin Marcus, AirMap co-founder commented on the opportunities that will open up with coordinated drone navigation. “For several years now, progress in the drone industry has been slowed significantly by the lack of this system. So now that we’ve developed a suitable system with industry partners, the drone industry is able to progress, and that means more traffic will be using the AirMap platform and our business can grow,” he said.
Drone delivery service, Wing, further stated, “This standard provides the foundation for progressing toward standards-based UTM services that enable safe coexistence of operations supported by Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and Ops Over People (OOP).”
October 31, 2019
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