Unifly and SkeyDrone announce major upgrade to Antwerp port’s UTM system

Unifly and SkeyDrone have announced a significant upgrade to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ (PoAB) Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM), DronePortal. This upgrade enhances the efficiency of drone operations in the complex Port of Antwerp’s airspace and supports the expanded use of drone technology, say the companies in a press release. Additionally, the upgraded services are now extended to include the Port of Bruges. “This development is a crucial step in advancing the PoAB airspace towards U-space readiness. Operational in the Antwerp Port area since mid-March 2021 and has processed over 5,000 flight authorizations, the PoAB DronePortal upgrade plays a pivotal role in the evolving U-space landscape. The latest improvements include optimized automated approvals, enhanced integration support with drone operations, and User Interface (UI)/User Experience (UX) enhancements, all based on the most recent Unifly product version.

“The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is expected to become the first official U-space airspace in Europe, marking a significant milestone in uncrewed aerial operations. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has become a hub for drone activities, hosting the highest volume of drone flights in Belgium. Beyond the D-Hive project that facilitates scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights, numerous drone operators fly within the same airspace for various purposes, further solidifying the port’s status as a key player in the drone ecosystem. “