The Belgian air traffic controller Skeyes has developed a digital platform that publishes drone flight data in real-time. The platform was officially certified on Monday by the Federal Public Service Mobility at the Skeyes site in Steenokkerzeel (Belgium). It marks a new step toward an airspace where both drones and manned aircraft can fly safely.
There is an increasing number of drone flights, and therefore, managing them is becoming increasingly complex. “With the platform, we are taking a step toward a structured airspace for drones, where several can fly at the same time with enough distance between them,” explains Skeyes CEO Johan Decuyper.
Data in real-time
The platform collects data from drone flights in real-time. These are made available to drone service providers, who can manage drone flights in their zones. Everything will happen completely automatically. In addition, data from manned and unmanned aviation will also be exchanged. This should make things safer.
The next step is to define the flight zones for drones. The first zones being worked on are the Port of Antwerp and the Belgian North Sea. For example, drones can be used for transportation, inspections, detecting oil pollution at sea, or searching for people in distress.
Skeyes does not have a monopoly on air traffic control for drones, as it does for manned aviation. However, it does have the ambition to act as a drone service provider through its subsidiary, Skeydrone.
