Back to news

June 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Raytheon and AirMap collaborate on safe drone integration into the national airspace system

Raytheon Company

PARIS, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has signed a strategic agreement with AirMap, the leading global airspace intelligence platform for drones, to collaborate on future projects to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems, commonly referred to as drones, into the national airspace system and unlock the positive economic and social benefits of expanded commercial drone operations.

"AirMap is ushering in a new era in drone aviation," said Matt Gilligan, vice president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business. "Drones must safely operate in an already complex ecosystem, which is where our experience matters."

The agreement combines the two companies' expertise:

  • Raytheon's Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or STARS, is used by air traffic controllers across the U.S. to provide safe and efficient aircraft spacing and sequencing guidance for more than 40,000 departing and arriving aircraft daily at both civilian and military airports.
  • AirMap is the leading global provider of airspace intelligence for UAS operations, with over 250,000 registered users. In 2018, the majority of U.S. registered commercial drone pilots used AirMap to request over 45,000 automated authorizations to fly in controlled airspace.

"Raytheon technology has helped safely and effectively manage airspace in the most complex, dense controlled airspace in the world for decades," said Ben Marcus, AirMap Co-founder and Chairman. "They are an ideal partner to join AirMap on the path toward enabling safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations in U.S. low-altitude airspace between 0 and 400 feet."

The two companies are working toward an integrated demonstration that will showcase how AirMap's unmanned aircraft traffic management platform can increase air traffic controllers' awareness of potential conflict between drones and manned aircraft near airports to ensure overall safety of the airspace.

About AirMap
AirMap is the world's leading airspace intelligence platform for the drone economy. Industry developers, drone operators, and airspace managers rely on AirMap's airspace intelligence and services to fly safely and communicate in low-altitude airspace. AirMap unlocks safe, efficient, and scalable operations by connecting the world's drones to airspace authorities through an open platform of APIs and SDKs, with integrations by top drone manufacturers and solution providers including 3DR, DJI, DroneDeploy, Intel, Matternet, and senseFly. Deployed in the Czech Republic, Japan, Switzerland, the United States, and available in over 25 countries, AirMap leads the industry in delivering technology solutions for UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and U-space to enable safe and responsible drone operations at scale. AirMap supports several drone enablement and research projects globally, including NASA UTM, the European Network of U-space Demonstrators and the U.S. UAS Integration Pilot Programs. For more details visit https://airmap.com.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-and-airmap-collaborate-on-safe-drone-integration-into-the-national-airspace-system-300870910.html

On the same subject

  • Pakistan’s private industry clashes with government over regulations

    June 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Pakistan’s private industry clashes with government over regulations

    By: Usman Ansari ISLAMABAD — The Pakistani government's restrictions on the defense industry are stifling potential and must go, according to the president of the trade body Pakistan Aerospace Council. PAeC is a collective of aerospace, defense and high-tech electronics enterprises that aims to internationally raise the profile of Pakistani industry. Its leader, Haroon Qureshi, heads the defense engineering and electronics company East West Infiniti. In a June 3 post on the PAeC website, Qureshi said Pakistan's private, high-tech manufacturers have the potential to help establish a more ambitious local aviation industry by acting as suppliers to and manufacturers of components and systems used by Western counterparts. However, this is hampered by government restrictions that demand permission prior to even design work. Without these restrictions, Qureshi believes the private sector could “leap-frog, especially with electronics of the future.” Citing the success of private space companies in the United States, Qureshi said if the Pakistani government frees the high-tech private sector to “innovate and do what the private industry thinks is feasible and viable,” those businesses would not use public funds and probably generate income for the government through taxes. In response to PAeC's comments, the Ministry of Defence Production told Defense News the government recognizes and actively promotes the importance of “indigenization and cooperation between the private sector and the defense-related industry.” However, it denied there are stifling constraints on the private sector, saying the market meets both domestic and export demand, but because of “international obligations/treaties, especially the measures taken to counter terrorism, certain limitations have to be observed.” Nevertheless, the ministry added, “measures are under deliberation to further facilitate the private sector in forthcoming defense production policy,” including the creation of a unit for so-called one-window operations — an approach meant to shorten the lengthy bureaucratic process. It also cited recent supplier and vendors exhibitions as well as a defense production seminar to promote cooperation among private businesses. The government is also preparing a “Defence Offset Policy" to encourage the private sector to absorb the “latest defense and dual-purpose technologies,” the ministry said. But author, analyst and former Australian defense attache to Islamabad Brian Cloughley said Qureshi's concern has existed for years, and the government's regulations are driven by security fears. “Whenever private industry wants to get involved in any aspect of defense production, the security people and bureaucrats in the defense system roll out objections, based mainly on the possibility of leakage of technical information and thus jeopardy of ‘national security,' ” he said. “It's been a real headache, and I continue to be surprised that the private sector has continued its efforts for so long.” Despite the government's efforts, Shehzad Ahmed Mir, managing director of the private defense company Bow Systems, remains unconvinced. “While MoDP lives in a self-pleasing, make-believe cocoon devoid of market realities, similar companies created much later in the West are literally thriving financially and technologically today simply because their respective governments gave them subsidies, export incentives, financial support, etc., compared to our government that drowns their ambitions in [no objection certificates], taxation whirlpools, bureaucratic hurdles, etc.,” he said. “So by the time — and if at all — MoDP comes out with any good news for the private sector, there won't be anyone credible around to jubilate on it.” https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/06/10/pakistans-private-industry-clashes-with-government-over-regulations/

  • Defense Spending In The Middle East Continues Strong Growth

    January 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Defense Spending In The Middle East Continues Strong Growth

    In 2018, major fault lines developed in the relations between the Middle East's largest power, Saudi Arabia, and its Western allies. For decades, Riyadh has been one of the major buyers of European and U.S. defense equipment, but there is growing uneasiness about how Saudi Arabia has been using it. International pressure increases on Saudi-led conflict in Yemen Middle Eastern nations grow combat mass and capability Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen was already controversial, but ... http://aviationweek.com/defense/defense-spending-middle-east-continues-strong-growth

  • Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman Get Stand-in Attack Weapon Contracts - Air Force Magazine

    June 10, 2022 | International, Aerospace

    Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman Get Stand-in Attack Weapon Contracts - Air Force Magazine

    Three of five competitors for the Stand-in Attack Weapon, or SiAW, got small contracts to get the project going.

All news