In the coming six months, the ANWB, together with Air Traffic Control the Netherlands and KPN, will experiment to see if it is possible to get the drones to fly back and forth. “Imagine you have to deliver blood or medicines urgently. Now that only happens by road. How nice would it be if you could fly through the air where traffic lights and traffic jams don’t cause delays. And it’s also possible in addition to normal air traffic?”
The digital corridor makes it possible that in part of the airspace where manned aircraft fly, there is also room for unmanned drones. In addition, the drone will communicate with an Unmanned Traffic Management System (UTM) during flight, making the flight more efficient, safer and at a longer distance.
The ANWB spokesperson expects that it will not have to take very long. “In the course of the next six months, the term experiment can be dropped. This is an essential step for further growth.” It is expected that drones will be able to fly between the two Isala locations more and more often.
The first flights are planned in the first half of 2023 between two Isala locations. Later this year, flights will also be carried out in other places, for example in the vicinity of Rotterdam. Experience is thus gained in a busier airspace, due to the proximity of Rotterdam The Hague Airport. By testing drone flights in two different types of airspace, experience is gained in all possible circumstances.