PrecisionHawk and Partners Demonstrate Technology for Drone Airspace Integration

By Mike Ball / 28 Oct 2015

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

PrecisionHawk LancasterPrecisionHawk, a provider of unmanned data acquisition services, along with Verizon, Harris and DigitalGlobe Inc., has announced the successful completion of initial testing of high-performance airspace services for consumer and enterprise drones. The companies have integrated their technologies, Verizon’s LTE network, Harris’ ADS-B and aircraft surveillance network, DigitalGlobe’s Geospatial Big Data Platform and PrecisionHawk’s LATAS (Low Altitude Traffic and Airspace Safety) platform, to serve as a pathway for safe drone integration. Assessment of this ecosystem is currently taking place through the FAA Pathfinder program and the NASA UTM project.

“With this collaboration, the innovation of the tech community is addressing the timely need for a safety services to accelerate drone integration,” said Tyler Collins, Director of LATAS at PrecisionHawk. “Verizon, Harris and DigitalGlobe bring technology components, expertise and credibility that are critical to the success of this ecosystem. We look forward to expanding testing through the FAA Pathfinder and NASA UTM programs in 2015.”

“LTE networks have the potential to allow drones to deliver sensor data for processing, analysis and decision-making mid-flight and to receive command-and-control inputs in real-time, resulting in a safer, more reliable shared airspace,” said David Famolari, Director, Verizon Ventures. “While much further study is required, this demonstration is an important step in advancing industry efforts to safely manage commercial UAV operations at scale.”

Operating over LTE and through satellites, the LATAS platform connects airspace safety technologies such as detect and avoid, dynamic geofencing and aircraft tracking to provide “safety as a service” for the rapidly growing drone market. As the cellular network provider in the United States with the most 4G LTE coverage, Verizon brings secure and reliable connectivity to LATAS users. By utilizing the existing infrastructure of Verizon cell towers, LATAS is scalable for drones operating throughout the US.

“We are leveraging satellite-derived information to create consistent information and analytics for safe drone flights,” said Dr. Shay Har-Noy, DigitalGlobe’s Senior Director of Geospatial Big Data. “This is significant collaboration that represents a huge step forward for the FAA and the safety and well-being of the American public.”

As a provider of commercial high-resolution earth observation and advanced geospatial solutions, DigitalGlobe brings superior geospatial content and analytic capabilities for the identification of terrain and ground obstacles. PrecisionHawk’s LATAS system will tap into DigitalGlobe’s Geospatial Big Data (GBD) Platform so that drones can actively identify and avoid obstructions such as buildings, cable or tree lines based on highly accurate and current information about the world around them.

Nationwide Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) ground station deployment by Harris serves as the cornerstone of the FAA’s NextGen surveillance initiative to fundamentally improve the quality, accuracy and reliability of flight tracking data throughout the entire National Airspace System (NAS).

The Harris data is a synthesis of all FAA system derived aircraft surveillance data available in the U.S. National Airspace System. The sources of Harris data consist of data derived directly from the U.S. national ADS-B network being deployed by Harris; ADS-B data; FAA en-route and terminal primary and secondary surveillance data; airport surface surveillance data from the FAA Airport Surface Detection Equipment-X Band (ASDE-X); Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) from FAA deployed WAM systems and flight plan data from the FAA host system. An integrated system between PrecisionHawk, Verizon, Digital Globe, and Harris can provide a more complete solution for UAS traffic management.

By bringing together advanced technologies, PrecisionHawk is working with the FAA and government officials to present and test the LATAS platform as a safe, reliable and scalable service for drones. PrecisionHawk will continue to bring in key technology and testing partners as the ecosystem expands its capabilities.

Posted by Mike Ball Mike Ball is our resident technical editor here at Unmanned Systems Technology. Combining his passion for teaching, advanced engineering and all things unmanned, Mike keeps a watchful eye over everything related to the unmanned technical sector. With over 10 years’ experience in the unmanned field and a degree in engineering, Mike’s been heading up our technical team here for the last 8 years. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

High-Energy Density Batteries for Drones & Robotic Vehicles

The SCIO Brick® platform offers industry-leading energy density in a compact and lightweight footprint, and can be scaled to meet high-voltage requirements

Jul 12, 2025
Most Read Articles on UST This Week

Here’s our round-up of the five most read articles on UnmannedSystemsTechnology.com this week

Jul 11, 2025
Vertiq Speed Firmware v0.1.1 Now Available with Bug Fixes

Vertiq has released firmware v0.1.1 to correct a parameter bug affecting telemetry and 3D mode settings on select G1 and G2 modules

Jul 11, 2025
The Role of ROVs in Unmanned Marine Operations

Oceanbotics has answered the most common questions about ROVs, covering how they work, where they're used, and key capabilities

Jul 11, 2025
LiveU File Transfer Speeds Up Drone Data Delivery for Critical Missions

LiveU’s File Transfer enables rapid transmission of large drone data files, reducing delays and supporting faster decision-making in public safety and infrastructure operations.

Jul 11, 2025
Exploring Differences Between M9PLUS & M9 GNSS Antennas

Discover the key upgrades in Maxtena’s new M9PLUS GNSS antenna, including improved performance, signal purity, and multipath mitigation over the original M9

Jul 11, 2025

Featured Content

USAF Uses Inertial Labs Drone Lidar for Tree Obstruction Survey

The US Air Force successfully used Inertial Labs drone Lidar and cloud software to quickly map tree obstructions at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), improving airfield safety

Jul 11, 2025
New UAV to Combine Solar Hydrogen & Battery Power for Extended Flight

XSun and H3 Dynamics are developing the first UAV powered by solar, hydrogen, and batteries, aiming to deliver zero-emission, long-endurance unmanned flight

Jul 07, 2025
Enhancing Mangrove Restoration Through 3D Printed Drone Design

Explore how Inverto Earth, in collaboration with HP Additive, is using sustainable 3D printing and drone technology to drive large-scale mangrove restoration and protect vulnerable coastal ecosystems

Jul 03, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.