A first-of-its-kind trial, led by Wisk Aero and including a series of test flights aimed at evaluating the operational integration of uncrewed aircraft flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) into controlled airspace, has been successfully completed. The flights took...
To read the full article, please log in or enter your email below:
A first-of-its-kind trial, led by Wisk Aero and including a series of test flights aimed at evaluating the operational integration of uncrewed aircraft flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) into controlled airspace, has been successfully completed.
The flights took place at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete in New Zealand, involving take-offs, landings, and uncontrolled and controlled airspace navigation.
The successful completion of the trial test flights demonstrates that safe, uncrewed flight operations are possible, today, in controlled airspace among other piloted aircraft. Through the trial program, the partnership has established a safe process for uncrewed aircraft to access controlled airspace and created a significant new understanding and capability for commercial autonomous flight operations.
Led by Wisk Aero, the trials included the New Zealand Government and industry partners, including Insitu Pacific as the approved Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operator, the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA) as the regulatory observer and Part 102 approver, Airways New Zealand as the air navigation service provider alongside Airways International’s uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system AirShare, and indigenous-led aerospace venture, Tāwhaki, providing the flight testing site.
The latest test flights were part of Wisk’s multi-phased testing programme under the New Zealand Government’s Airspace Integration Trial Programme (AITP). This latest phase of testing involved multiple flights that took place between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, 2023, which demonstrated that a RPA can be operated under instrument flight rules (IFR) in controlled airspace and integrated with regular crewed traffic.
“The successful completion of this phase of testing demonstrates that it is possible to safely integrate autonomous aircraft into controlled airspace that is shared with piloted aircraft,” said Catherine MacGowan, Wisk’s Vice President of APAC and Air Operations. “The processes, data, and learnings from these trial flights will help shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and the broader aviation industry.”
Blue Canyon Technologies, small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider for RTX, has unveiled its latest spacecraft bus, the Saturn-400.…
Indra is advancing in the development of a new generation of self-protection systems for military aircraft and helicopters with a…
Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin, partners in the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) program, have successfully conducted the first live…
New Delhi and Manila launched a joint sail on Sunday in the waters of the West Philippine Sea amid growing…
Washington has awarded a $3.5 billion contract to a U.S. weapons manufacturer for the production of Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles…
The first Airbus A400M military transport aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking an…
Azorra is acquiring 13 Embraer E190 airframes and 36 General Electric CF34-10E6 engines from JetBlue. Deliveries of the assets commenced…
Aviation assets specialist AerFin has completed the sale of a second CFM56-5B engine from the A320ceo family to a Japanese…
China commissioned its fourth Type 075 amphibious assault ship amid the growing tension in the South China Sea. The vessel,…
Following Lithuania's decision in June to select the C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft, Embraer is working with Lithuanian industry to…
Lufthansa Technik saw a significant increase of 13.1 per cent in turnover to fourbillion euros (+13.1 percent) in the first…
The U.S. multinational aerospace and defense firm is set to launch a spaceplane for the eighth mission (OTV-8) from Florida’s…
Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps (NASC), operating under the authority of the Ministry of Interior, has recently signed a significant…
India has stepped up its maritime presence in the Asia-Pacific, deploying three warships to the Philippines on Wednesday ahead of…
Leonardo will acquire Iveco Defence, a division of the Iveco Group, for a total enterprise value of EUR 1.7 billion.…
In a giant leap for international space collaboration and Earth science, India and the United States have successfully launched NISAR,…
Exail has secured a new contract with a U.S.-based global defense player. The agreement involves the delivery of 100 Phins…
Lufthansa Technik and PAL express (PALex) have signed a long-term agreement in Manila regarding the supply of components for the…
Arena Aviation Capital has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of ten Embraer E190-100 LR aircraft, operated by Aeromexico, on…
JetBlue and United have completed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) review of their Blue Sky collaboration. Blue Sky is…
American aviation manufacturer Lockheed Martin has secured a $2.06 billion contract modification for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area…
A Los Angeles tech firm Epirus has secured a $43.5M contract from the U.S. Army to develop microwave system that…
Germany has formally requested to acquire the U.S. Typhon missile system to strengthen Europe’s long-range strike capabilities and address a…
At IDEF 2025, FNSS and SAMI Land signed a framework agreement enhancing localization of production of new generation 8×8 armored…
HAVELSAN has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with one of Turkey’s leading private shipyards, CEMRE, initiating a strategic collaboration…
United States has announced the launching of $151 billion worth missile defense program that aims to protect America from foreign…
Four Airbus-built CO3D (Constellation Optique 3D) satellites have been launched into orbit aboard an Arianespace Vega-C rocket from the European…
In a landmark move for South Korea’s private space sector, Hanwha Aerospace has signed a full technology transfer agreement with…
Australia tested Friday its co-developed Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) with the United States as part of efforts to boost the…
Airbus Helicopters has commenced flight testing of the H160M Guépard, a militarised variant of the H160 civilian helicopter, developed under…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2025 GBP all rights reserved.