AirMap’s New Feature Helps Drones Avoid Manned Aircraft

AirMap, a Santa Monica-based startup, has introduced a groundbreaking feature designed to enhance drone safety by providing real-time traffic alerts for drone operators. This new system notifies operators whenever manned aircraft, such as helicopters, crop dusters, or low-flying passenger planes, are about to enter their airspace.

AirMap’s technology goes beyond simply identifying prohibited areas. It actively analyzes data on air traffic, laws, and obstacles worldwide to create a comprehensive map of the sky. This allows drone operators to navigate safely and avoid potential conflicts with manned aircraft.

The company offers a standalone app, API, and software development kit for hardware and software makers to integrate real-time data overlays into their products. This ensures that drone operators have access to the most up-to-date information about their surroundings.

یک پهپاد در حال پرواز در آسمان با یک لایه گرافیکی که هشدارهای ترافیکی بلادرنگ از AirMap را نشان می‌دهد.

“We look at 1,000s of manned aircraft simultaneously and drones simultaneously to figure out which will create a potential intersection,” explained Ben Marcus, co-founder and CEO of AirMap. The complexity of the algorithms involved in generating these real-time alerts is a testament to the advanced technology behind AirMap’s system.

To achieve this level of accuracy, AirMap has forged data partnerships with Passur Aerospace Inc., a Stamford, Connecticut-based company, and uAvionix, a Palo Alto-based company. Passur Aerospace operates a network of ground-based systems that detect manned aircraft using radar and other sensor technologies. UAvionix specializes in lightweight ADS-B sensors and systems designed for drones, enabling information sharing between manned and unmanned aircraft.

The integration of data from these partners has been instrumental in bringing AirMap’s real-time traffic alerts to life. Gregory McNeal, AirMap co-founder and a law professor at Pepperdine University, emphasized the importance of collaboration in the burgeoning drone industry. He believes that such partnerships are essential to fostering an era of widespread, safe, and beneficial drone use.

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