Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) technology provider Altitude Angel has announced the second phase of its conflict resolution service (CRS), “tactical deconfliction.” Tactical deconfliction (Tactical CRS) provides live alerts when boundaries between remote ID transmitting drones intersect and offers alternative flight plans in real-time, enabling pilots to avoid in-air collisions. In the future, Tactical CRS will also help to deconflict drones against aircraft with transponders, as well as drones that don’t have remote ID flying in the vicinity of Altitude Angel’s planned sensor network, planned to come online in spring 2020.

Tactical CRS provides information to drone pilots or the drone itself to ensure in-flight separation is maintained. The system continuously monitors airspace around a drone for other air vehicles or changes to airspace (such as a TFR or a dynamic geofence around a police incident). After identifying a potential conflict, CRS makes the necessary routing adjustments via instructions or alerts that are communicated to the pilot in command or the drone’s control software, allowing the drone to maintain distance between other airspace users or fly around restricted airspace so it can continue safely to its destination. Tactical CRS supplements any onboard sense-and-avoid technologies, which typically operate only near other air traffic.