Raytheon has signed a strategic agreement with AirMap, an airspace intelligence platform for drones, to collaborate on future projects to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the national airspace system and unlock the positive economic and social benefits of expanded commercial drone operations.
Matt Gilligan, Vice President of Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services business, said: “AirMap is ushering in a new era in drone aviation. Drones must safely operate in an already complex ecosystem, which is where our experience matters.”
The agreement combines Raytheon’s Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or STARS, which is used by air traffic controllers across the US to provide safe and efficient aircraft spacing and sequencing guidance for more than 40,000 departing and arriving aircraft daily at both civilian and military airports and AirMap’s extensive database of over 250,000 registered users. In 2018, the majority of US registered commercial drone pilots used AirMap to request over 45,000 automated authorizations to fly in controlled airspace.
Ben Marcus, AirMap Co-founder and Chairman, said: “Raytheon technology has helped safely and effectively manage airspace in the most complex, dense controlled airspace in the world for decades.
“They are an ideal partner to join AirMap on the path toward enabling safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations in U.S. low-altitude airspace between 0 and 400 feet.”
The two companies are working toward an integrated demonstration that will showcase how AirMap’s unmanned aircraft traffic management platform can increase air traffic controllers’ awareness of potential conflict between drones and manned aircraft near airports to ensure overall safety of the airspace.
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