UK Air Traffic Control for Drones

Comprehensive air traffic control system for drones to become a necessity in the near future, experts have claimed.

10:00 04 October 2018

A recent research that looked at the future of drones in the UK has found that local councils’ highways department may soon need to establish a skyways department. In just a matter of years since drones were introduced, their role in the society has dramatically transformed. They are now routinely used in monitoring vital infrastructure, search operations and in emergencies, police and fire services as they provide real-time information needed to save lives.

 

As the technology improves, it is expected that more and more drones will be airborne. They are also expected to be designed to fly further and faster even in challenging environments.

 

As the number of drones continues to soar, local authorities will soon need to find a way to manage them. Even if the technical operation of a drone traffic control might be best belong in another organisation, it is vital that oversight, decision-making and strategic direction come from the local skyways department. In the interest of their residents, local authorities should be able to decide where drones can operate, what rules they need to follow and what tasks they can carry out in the city.