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Raytheon and AirMap virtually demo drone monitoring tools

Air October 29, 2019

Raytheon and AirMap have integrated AirMap’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS) monitoring capabilities onto a working prototype of Raytheon’s next-generation air traffic controller workstation called Multi-platform ATC Re-hosting Solution (MARS).

With this integration, MARS now offers air traffic controllers streamlined access to UAS monitoring designed to improve the safety of drone integration.

The MARS workstation integrates commercial off-the-shelf technologies into a consolidated touchscreen display that provides access to multiple automation applications at one workstation, without changing re-hosted applications.

“When drones fly in controlled airspace, they’re sharing the skies with many other types of aircraft,” said Matt Gilligan, Vice President of Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services. “Air traffic controllers need real-time airspace awareness and alerts to unusual drone activity; it’s a key step on the path toward safe drone integration into the national airspace system.”

AirMap’s intelligent airspace management tools, such as real-time remote identification, airspace authorisation, and dynamic geofencing provide air traffic controllers access to UAS flight data through automated digital technologies.

The AirMap technology alerts the MARS user of a drone exhibiting unusual or non-conforming flight behaviour within the controlled airspace surrounding a major airport.

Ben Marcus, Chairman and Co-founder of AirMap, said: “Air traffic controllers, as well as UAS operators and manned aircraft pilots, need situational awareness.

“With Raytheon, we’re working to optimise how controllers can be armed with information about UAS without burdensome increases in workload.”

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AirMap Drone MARS Raytheon UAS

Post written by: Matt Brown