Kongsberg Geospatial announced today that it has partnered with Unifly to enable real-time e-Identification and tracking of drones using Unifly BLIP (Broadcast Location & Identity Platform).
Kongsberg Geospatial’s airspace situational awareness system IRIS was developed based on technology originally created for missile defense applications, and has been conceived to provide drone operators with enhanced situational awareness while operating unmanned aircraft and land vehicles. The system fuses data from a wide range of real-time sensors, such as the Unifly BLIP technology, to provide drone pilots with a precise real-time picture of their operational airspace when piloting one or more unmanned vehicles beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS).
Unifly’s BLIP enables safe BVLOS drone flights thanks to its real-time tracking in combination with the BLIP Data Platform. The BLIP is an autonomous weather-proof tracker that functions independently from the drone itself as a stand-alone digital blackbox. It is ready to use once attached to a drone and has its own power source and sensors for position, altitude, temperature, pressure, speed and direction. Additionally, BLIP broadcasts the drone’s e-identification, 3D location and take-off position over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The BLIP Data Platform translates the data given by the BLIP and forwards it in real-time to multiple UTM systems or real-time airspace situational awareness applications like Kongsberg Geospatial IRIS.
“We’re proud to be part of the important role of flight safety in unmanned vehicle operations,” says Ranald McGillis, President, Kongsberg Geospatial. “Our IRIS Airspace management for unmanned systems was created to help safely operate drones and autonomous vehicles beyond visual line-of-sight. The Unifly BLIP technology is a world leader to help effectively integrate unmanned systems into a variety of urban operations.”
Laurent Huenaerts, General Manager of Unifly in North America explained: “Remote identification and real-time tracking are two foundational capabilities for the safe and secure integration of drones into the airspace, especially around critical infrastructure and in urban areas. The Unifly BLIP tracker provides this information and its Data Platform allows for a seamless integration with situational awareness systems like IRIS. We are very pleased to now be integrated with the world-leading airspace visualization platform that Kongsberg Geospatial has developed.”
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About Kongsberg Geospatial: Based in Ottawa, Canada, Kongsberg Geospatial (https://kongsberggeospatial.com) creates precision real-time software for air traffic control and UxS and situational awareness. The Company’s products are primarily deployed in solutions for air-traffic control, Command and Control, and air defense. Over nearly three decades of providing dependable performance under extreme conditions, Kongsberg Geospatial has become the leading geospatial technology provider for mission-critical applications where lives are on the line. Kongsberg Geospatial is a subsidiary of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
About Unifly: Unifly (https://unifly.aero) is the global leader in Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) technology. The Unifly platform connects authorities with pilots to safely integrate drones into the airspace. Authorities can visualize and approve drone flights and manage no-fly zones in real-time. Drone operators can manage their drone fleet, validate flights and monitor their drone operations. Unifly combines UTM and drone detection (C-UAS) capabilities to detect, identify and differentiate all air traffic within airports and critical infrastructures.
