Terra Drone’s Unifly Completes Blockchain-Enhanced UTM Demonstration for Certiflight Project
Terra Drone Corporation, a premier drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) tech company based in Japan, has announced that its subsidiary, Unifly—a global frontrunner in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) solutions—successfully executed a port surveillance demonstration as part of the Certiflight initiative. This vital demonstration took place at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB), one of Europe’s largest ports, leveraging Unifly’s UTM system integrated with Blockchain technology to effectively manage drone operations in intricate, high-traffic airspace.
Overview of Certiflight
Certiflight represents the first Galileo-based U-Space framework employing Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) technology. Its goal is to log low-altitude flight data, including drone and General Aviation operations, onto a secure blockchain system. Unifly has engaged in the Certiflight project since November 2022, significantly contributing to drone traffic management and advancing technological solutions that enhance airspace safety and accountability.
The project aims to ensure the integrity of flight data by securely recording encrypted information on a blockchain to prevent any alterations or falsifications of location data. This is achieved using Digital EGNSS/IoT devices on drones and General Aviation aircraft. The Certiflight initiative enhances the reliability of flight data, thus improving safety within complex airspaces. Ultimately, this is poised to facilitate broader acceptance of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations for drones. Traditionally, drone pilots need to secure flight permissions in accordance with local regulations for each mission. With guaranteed authentic flight data, operators can submit information to certification portals, allowing air traffic controllers to promptly validate and authorize flights. This development is set to simplify the drone flight approval process, fostering rapid drone adoption across multiple sectors.
Certiflight Project Timeline
- Launched in November 2022
- Transitioned to the demonstration phase in November 2024
- Aiming to validate scenarios based on key drone use cases and assess system performance in partnership with various U-space service providers by January 2025
Details of the Port Surveillance Demonstration
This demonstration forms part of the broader Certiflight initiative, which has entered its demonstration phase as of November 2024, currently operating in Belgium, Italy, and the Czech Republic. As a recognized U-space service provider, Unifly was selected to execute the demonstration at PoAB, collaborating with drone operator Sky Vision. In this context, Unifly incorporated its UTM system with drones outfitted with Digital EGNSS/IoT devices for real-time surveillance of drone activities within the port, thereby streamlining the flight approval process.
Achievements of the Demonstration
Through this demonstration, Unifly effectively showcased the capabilities of its UTM platform by:
- Visualizing Drone Flight Paths:
- Providing real-time visualization of drone flight paths via the Tracking API.
- Successfully distinguishing between authenticated and unauthenticated tracking data.
- Ensuring Accurate Positioning and Data Integrity:
- Obtaining precise positioning data while preventing the contamination of inaccurate information through the OSNMA feature.
- Demonstrating the reliability of blockchain technology and Digital EGNSS/IoT devices, ensuring secure and precise drone positioning, especially in complex airspace operations.
Andres Van Swalm, CEO of Unifly, remarked, “The Certiflight demonstration at the PoAB is a landmark event for our project. It illustrates how blockchain-integrated UTM solutions can elevate safety, transparency, and accountability in intricate environments. We’re honored to be at the forefront of the autonomous aviation future.”
Future Outlook
By achieving the successful port surveillance demonstration within the Certiflight project, Unifly has underscored the significance of its UTM platform in managing drone traffic. Terra Drone is excited about the potential of advanced UTM technologies within U-space airspace, paving the way for the integration of next-generation aircraft into shared environments. Moving forward, Terra Drone plans to extend the use of its technology across various domains, including port operations and urban air mobility.
