Why UAS software must be hardware-agnostic

Some technological innovations are too important to be confined to one platform. Take the seatbelt, for example: Volvo opened its patent for the modern three-point seatbelt in 1959, enabling car manufacturers worldwide to make their cars safer, and we all benefit from this decision. Another example is the internet; the endless source of free information would be much less useful if it was only accessible on certain devices. 

The same principle goes for UAS software. Dedicated software systems enable operators to unlock the endless applications of drones, and indeed to maintain airspace coordination and safety. Just like the seatbelt and the internet, drone fleet management and UAS traffic management (UTM) software systems are too important to be exclusive to specific models of drone or single service providers. To truly unlock a new era of aviation, these systems have to be agnostic. 

Drone fleet management 

Drone fleet management software is a necessity for professional UAS operations. Orion DFM enables commanders to oversee and control entire fleets from a single command center, view and manage data from multiple aircraft, and receive and share information amongst teams of drone pilots and trusted third parties. It also enables advanced capabilities like autonomous missions and BVLOS flights, vital for large-scale operations. By plugging in to Orion, UAS can be used professionally for applications like security, public safety, deliveries at any range, inspections, port operations, and more. 

It’s important to us that these capabilities are available to all regardless of a client’s preference as to the kind of drone they deploy. Orion’s open SDK/API allows for seamless interoperability with enterprise-grade drones of any size and manufacturer, including drone-in-a-box systems and specialist aircraft like tethered and first responder drones. This agnosticism extends to supplementary systems too, including docking stations and sensor arrays. 

This approach enables us to create bespoke service packages for clients across industries and public services, including autonomous response packages, based on their existing drone fleets with minimal disruption to operations, and maximum cost-effectiveness. 

UAS traffic management 

Safety is of paramount importance in aviation. This is maintained with surveillance, deconfliction and communications systems that work universally, and there can be no exceptions for obvious reasons. Today, UAS ecosystems are creating a new and growing layer of air traffic in shared airspaces. As a result conspicuity in drones has become essential (and legally mandatory). Furthermore, UAS traffic management and geo-awareness services themselves must be interoperable, and able to share data with air traffic control (ATC), to ensure data synchronization and ecosystem-wide coordination. 

Happily, we have the technology to achieve this. Conspicuity in UAS is achieved with Remote ID. Just as ADS-B transponders can sit in any aircraft and broadcast telemetry to air traffic management systems, drones use Remote-ID to broadcast to UTM services. Remote-ID is already included in most newer drones, but it can also be achieved by attaching a lightweight transponder to drone fuselages. Just like seatbelts, Remote ID is an innovation essential for safety, and thanks to its platform-agnosticism, can be applied universally. 

As part of our mission to safely integrate UAS into shared airspaces, the services of the Vega Hub integrate with all stages of Remote ID transmission, from initial registration and activation, to flight plan authorization and coordination, to real-time broadcast and tactical deconfliction. On top of this, the Vega Common Information Service (CIS) enables data synchronization between all participants in the airspace and enables authorities to adjust UAS permissions in real-time according to ATC data. This is a fundamental pillar of an agnostic airspace where diverse operators and service providers can function together in harmony. 

Vega UTM also seamlessly integrates with NCTR (counter-UAS) systems, enabling detection and mitigation of noncompliant drones, providing another example of how an agnostic approach enables complete airspace management. 

Building a new world

We think big at High Lander. We’ve built our solutions to be more than just service offerings, but to provide a complete infrastructure for a new generation of aircraft, covering everything from day-to-day commercial operations to air traffic control at large scales. These capabilities wouldn't be so powerful if they weren't available to all - which is why we make sure that they are. 

We invite you to get in touch for a chat about how we can take your existing drone fleet to the next level, and how you can benefit from the airspace management capabilities of the Vega Hub.