UTM at Dublin Airport: Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM Enterprise Deployed

Dublin Airport the Latest to Deploy Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM Enterprise

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Altitude Angel, the global leader in providing UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology, announced during the CANSO Executive Summit in Madrid that Dublin Airport will be the latest airport to utilize GuardianUTM Enterprise, the company’s next-generation airspace management platform.

GuardianUTM Enterprise, which launched last March, is an intuitive, cost-effective solution designed to support national, regional and local airports and airfields.The platform will equip the Irish Aviation Authority Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), who offer Air Traffic Services (ATS) at Dublin Airport, with a combined view of the airspace in the vicinity of its FRZ (flight restricted zone), allowing ATS to augment and grant UTM Services for drone companies and operators, with the use of Altitude Angel’s proven digital authorisation and flight management technology.

Dublin Airport is Ireland’s largest and most used airport, as well as the tenth largest airport in the European Union, flying to over 190 destinations in 42 countries in 2019, and operated by nearly 50 airlines.

“We’re thrilled to be working with the Irish Aviation Authority at Dublin Airport,” said Richard Ellis, Chief Business Officer at Altitude Angel. “GuardianUTM Enterprise will allow the IAA ANSP and the airport to unlock the potential of drone operations within the FRZ in a safe and secure way – providing the tower with a single-source-point-of-truth.”

“The use of drones, whether to inspect airframes on stand, or conduct runway and infrastructure inspections, are increasingly being used because of the efficiencies in time, money and accuracy their use brings,” Ellis continued. “As our partnership with the IAA ANSP develops, we hope to be able to extend the use of GuardianUTM Enterprise to other airports around Ireland.”

The project was also met with strong support from the UAAI (Unmanned Aircraft Association of Ireland). “We are delighted to work with the IAA ANSP and Altitude Angel,” said Julie Garland, Chair of UAAI. “We see this trial as the way forward and a stepping stone towards full digitisation of the processes around airspace permissions and applications enhancing the flexible use of airspace.”

“I have been very impressed by the way Altitude Angel has worked with the team at Dublin Airport to deploy GuardianUTM Enterprise,” added Cathal Mac Criostail, Manager of Airspace and Navigation at IAA ANSP. “Within five years we expect drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) activity to surpass manned flight as regards number of movements. By working with Altitude Angel, as well with other partners in this arena, we’re preparing Ireland for its exciting digital airspace future.”

Read more about Altitude Angel’s airspace awareness, investment, and their projects in Spain, Canada, Norway, and Holland.

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.