Drone operators wanting to fly in the airspace around Southampton Airport can now benefit from a digital flight approval service, NATS Services has announced.

From today, drone pilots wanting to fly in or through the Flight Restriction Zone around Southampton Airport will be able to request access online or via the Altitude Angel Drone Assist app, with approvals being granted in as little as a few minutes.

This new digital service replaces a process that could take up to 14 days or more.

The deployment of Approval Services at Southampton Airport is the second following  Aberdeen International Airport, where Approval Services went live at the end of September and is already helping drone users gain access to the airspace they need.

NATS Services says the deployment is an important step towards delivering a fully integrated airspace, where drones fly seamlessly and safely alongside other aircraft.

Richard Ellis, NATS Services New Airspace Users Director, said: “We want to support the growth of the UK drone industry, and this second deployment is part of our plan to deliver an ecosystem that can deliver certainty for drone operators. Deploying a digital flight approval service allows us to do just that, while ensuring our controllers maintain situational awareness of what is operating in the airspace around them.”

Gavin Williams, Managing Director of Southampton Airport, said: “We welcome this new innovative digital drone flight approval service streamlining the operation and enhancing the safety for our air traffic control partners, NATS.” 

Chris Forster, Altitude Angel, Chief Operating Officer, added: “It’s exciting to see Southampton Airport come online with the Approval Services platform. As more airports are added to the network, we’re able to provide safe & seamless access to more airspace, enabling more businesses and public services to benefit from drone operations.”

Approval Services is aimed primarily at commercial drone pilots who need speed and confidence to support their operations. A free service for non-commercial users who are willing to wait 14 days or more for their flight plan to be processed, is also available.

NATS Services expects to continue extending the service to other airports where it provides the air traffic service in the coming months.

Source: NATS