The London Heliport Adopts Altitude Angel UTM Technology: Part of the New Aviation Ecosystem

Altitude Angel’s Approval Services Platform Deployed by The London Heliport

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology leader Altitude Angel has announced that The London Heliport will be deploying its Approval Services platform. This platform enables drone operators, and soon eVTOL pilots as well, to request and pay for operations digitally through the heliport’s airspace with the touch of a button.

Starting today, Approval Services, which was described on its launch by Aviation Minister Baroness Vere as, ‘a key step to [the UK] achieving its ambitious outcomes we are setting through the Future of Flight Industry Group’, provides drone operators with the ability to quickly and securely submit flight plans within The London Heliport’s FRZ, in addition to facilitating charges put in place by the heliport when a flight is approved.

Altitude Angel has previously been providing The London Heliport with a combined view of the airspace in the vicinity of its FRZ (flight restriction zone), granting the heliport the ability to digitally approve or decline drone operations through Altitude Angel’s digital authorisation and flight management technology.

The London Heliport has an extensive history of pioneering aviation dating back over 60 years, starting in 1959. It is currently London’s only CAA licensed heliport, offering a crucial service to the business community as well as local emergency services like the London Air Ambulance (HEMS).

“The London Heliport has a special place in the history of aviation and Altitude Angel is incredibly proud to be part of a new chapter in the heliport’s continued development,” said Altitude Angel COO Chris Forster. “The drone and urban air mobility industries will be part of a new aviation ecosystem which can take advantage of the heliport’s unique central London location.”

“The heliport’s location is a prime area for drone activity and within its FRZ, will have over 500 authorised drone flights a year. Managing these applications and having an overall picture of what is going on day to day has always been a challenge,” said The London Heliport’s Operations Manager Matthew Rice. “This is why our relationship with Altitude Angel has been pivotal in having a robust application process that helps us to monitor and process them easily. ‘Situational Awareness’ allows our Air Traffic Control to have a better understanding of what activity is planned and approved within the FRZ on the day. This helps us to try and achieve our ultimate goal of ensuring all helicopters operating in and out of the heliport are made aware of any drone operations and kept safe.”

Read more:

• Altitude Angel Drone Assist Gets a Major Update, New Features
• Altitude Angel and BT Digital Unit Ink Deal to Scale BVLOS Drone Flight in the UK
• Digital Towers Could Direct Air Traffic from 100 Miles Away: Saab and Altitude Angel Partner
• Altitude Angel, Mopiens Partner on UTM in South Korea
• London Biggin Hill Airport Deploys Altitude Angel’s Guardian UTM

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.