Unifly, a leading player in drone traffic management, is marking five years since it kicked off a game-changing project to revolutionize drone ops at one of Europe‘s busiest ports. Let’s dive into how this tech is shaking things up in Belgium.
SAFIR Project: Putting Drones to Work
The Safe and Flexible Integration of Initial U-space Services in a Real Environment (SAFIR) project was all about showing what drones can really do in a bustling port environment. We’re talking everything from surveillance flights and parcel delivery to medical transport and infrastructure mapping. This wasn’t just a tech demo – it was about proving drones could handle real-world tasks in a complex, 120 km² area filled with critical infrastructure.
From Test to Reality: Port Becomes Drone Central
After SAFIR wrapped up, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges didn’t just pat itself on the back. They took charge, becoming what’s called a “geozone manager” for drone traffic.
To make this work, they brought in Unifly’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) platform. This tech lets the port monitor drone flights in real-time, coordinate multiple operations, and manage the whole drone ecosystem.
Game-Changing Results
Bob Spanoghe, who leads drone projects at the port, put it this way: “The port of the future has a network of autonomous drones that fly BVLOS over the port area several times a day and transmit data in real-time. SAFIR project was one giant step forward for this to become reality.”
The impact? Massive. Drone operators are seeing huge benefits. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights are now possible, flight approvals that used to take weeks now happen in a day, and non-compliant drones get spotted fast.
Joris Cleiren from SKY VISION bv, a drone operator at the port, raved about the changes: “The Unifly platform has been a game-changer for us. What used to take up to three weeks to secure flight approvals now takes just one day.”
DroneXL’s Take
This port project is a perfect example of how drones are transforming industrial operations. We’ve been covering similar innovations in drone inspection tech, and it’s clear that ports and other large-scale facilities are prime targets for drone integration.
The speed at which approvals are now processed (from weeks to a single day) is a huge deal. It shows how the right regulations and tech can unlock drone potential without compromising safety. As we see more success stories like this, expect an acceleration in drone adoption across various industries.
What do you think about drones taking over ports? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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