Nokia is trialling an air traffic management system for drones at Twente Airport in the Netherlands in what it described as a technology first for Europe.
The vendor has signed a deal with the Municipality of Enschede, the Province of Overijssel, Unmanned Systems Centre and Area Development Twente to deliver the infrastructure and test its traffic management system.
Nokia’s UAV Traffic Management solution will provide flight automation, control of the no-fly zone area, and a beyond visual line of sight capability that the vendor said was critical for operating drones in densely populated areas.
Such a system is essential in order to ensure drones could fly without endangering other aircraft, Nokia said.
The test involves mobile edge computing and a variety of LTE and pre-5G technology to deliver low-latency and high reliability networks.
The drones are equipped with an LTE modem, GPS tracker and other telemetry module, as well as Nokia’s AirFrame platform, to monitor airspace and flight paths.
An app gives drone operators the ability to track flight permissions and no-fly zones in real time.
The trial will take place at Space53, a dedicated area at Twente Airport devoted to testing drone technology.
Nokia said the trial paves the way for future standards to ensure future drone use can operate in the vicinity of manned flights.
Thorsten Robrecht, Head of Advanced Mobile Networks Solutions at Nokia, said: “UAVs are rapidly becoming commonplace tools in many industries, enhancing safety, security, inspection, maintenance and many other activities.
“However, it is critical that they function faultlessly and safely in complex, real-world environments. This requires more than just a smart drone, but a system of intelligent traffic control that is thoroughly tested and fully developed. Nokia is the only communications vendor currently building such a system and we are working with regulators to achieve the necessary standardisation.”
Onno van Veldhuizen, Mayor of Enschede, added: “Space53 is a unique concept, which in turn is a necessity for the all the major players in the drone, autonomous, and unmanned systems sector. A test centre like Space53 will be required for the growth of this sector – not just here in the Netherlands, but worldwide. Nokia joining us proves the point, and we’re very pleased with their involvement as a technology partner.”