The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR Alliance) and Griffiss International Airport have announced a new partnership with Unifly, a European company with software that enables unmanned traffic management (UTM) systems to visualize and manage drone traffic.
The partnership will provide enhanced UTM capabilities for the 50-mile UTM corridor currently being constructed at the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site in central New York, which is managed by NUAIR and located at Griffiss.
Unifly will establish a presence in the region to deploy its software platform and support testing. Working with NUAIR, Unifly will enable enhancements to test beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) systems.
“This new partnership will provide the critical tools needed for beyond visual line of site testing – capabilities not found at any other test site in the nation,” says Major General Marke F. “Hoot” Gibson (ret.), CEO of the NUAIR Alliance. “It also shows that this region is able to lead the industry and attract partners from across the globe due to investments being made by New York State. We look forward to working with Unifly and deploying this industry-leading technology in coming months and taking our capabilities to a new level.”
“Oneida County’s UAS test site at Griffiss International Airport is leading the nation in industry research and innovation,” says Anthony J. Picente Jr., Oneida County, N.Y., executive. “The corridor between Rome and Syracuse continues to grow and establish the Mohawk Valley and central New York as the epicenter for UAS development. Adding Unifly into that mix will further strengthen our position within the U.S. and throughout the world.”
Unifly’s software applications facilitate UAS traffic in very low-altitude airspace. Its tools inform operators where it is safe and legal to fly and enable authorities and other aviation stakeholders to track traffic and manage airspace.
“This partnership presents a unique opportunity to share Unifly’s proven UTM technology and experience with NUAIR,” states Marc Kegelaers, CEO of Unifly. “The safe integration of drones into the general airspace is a universal topic today. The NUAIR Operation Center is the first test site that has had the vision to include international partners in their global alliance to successfully tackle these global challenges.”
