UK’s first drone sky highway planned for Reading next summer

Nottinghamshire Police have been using drones recently to help locate suspects and missing people

Credit: John Giles/PA

Gerry McQuade, chief executive of BT’s Enterprise unit, said: “There is an urgent need to safely integrate commercial drones into global airspace alongside manned aviation. In showing how drones can deliver improved, potentially life-saving services to the public, we’re aiming to accelerate the adoption of fully automated drones in unrestricted UK airspace in a safe and responsible way.”

BT will work with a team of start-ups, providing connectivity to the different projects. 

Start-ups working on the project include Altitude Angel, which has developed technology to monitor the skies used by drones and commercial aircraft. 

The narrow flight corridor will be monitored by Altitude Angel’s air traffic control system, that combines flight data on unmanned drones and piloted aircraft. Drones running on its software receive real-time updates that automatically make sure they maintain a safe distance from other aircraft in the zone.

Drones are monitored via a system of masts, and operators will sign up to its software which can implement safety instructions, such as forcing a drone to land automatically to avoid collisions.

Richard Parker, chief executive of Altitude Angel, said: “Today, most drone tests are private in closed airspace. This airspace will be open and unrestricted. We are trying to create something akin to a highway network, where anybody can use the technology.”

BT will provide mobile technology for beyond line of site flight and positioning data. Dave Pankhurst, BT’s head of drone solutions, said the corridor would allow tests of drones beyond line of site without the need for a pilot within 500m of a drone.

BT will also work with SkyBound Rescuer, a drone start-up building technology for search and rescue teams, and Skyports, which is developing drone delivery missions for healthcare.

Tech companies have been testing the use of commercial drones in the UK. Amazon has expanded its site and team in Cambridge in an effort to deliver “Prime Air” packages within 30 minutes.

However, the US firm’s much-hyped attempt to launch package deliveries by drone in the US has yet to come to fruition.