Astra UTM, the UAE-based drone traffic management platform, has announced the appointment of senior business development executives across Europe and South America as part of an international expansion plan.
“We are thrilled to announce the next phase of our strategic growth plan, where we transition from a promising start-up to becoming a leading player in the UTM/UAM industry landscape. Our key strength has been to evolve and adjust with the continuously developing drone technologies and regulations,” said Ayhan Kamil, chief commercial officer, Astra UTM.
The move follows a recent spike in the demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), commonly referred to as drones.
From flying taxis to delivery drones, from monitoring and surveillance to emergency response, and from aerial photography to agricultural use, commercial drone traffic is set to witness massive growth, leading to potential overcrowding in the skies.
Kamil said a UTM platform helps avoid incidents and adapts to the evolving regulations critical for supporting and stabilising the ecosystem.
“The need for a robust and flexible UTM, especially in global cities where 5G adoption is set to accelerate commercial drone deployment, cannot be overstated,” said Kamil.
As the volume of drone flights reaches a tipping point, safely managing flights requires a sophisticated and secure system that can seamlessly plan and request clearance and factor in potential hazards and airspace restrictions. he added.
On Monday, the Ministry of Interior announced an extension of its decision to ban drones and light sports aircraft until further notice, in coordination with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Authorities and companies who have signed work contracts or commercial projects that rely on the use of drones should contact the GCAA to obtain the necessary approvals, state news agency WAM reported.
Violations come with potential punishments of imprisonment for a period of six months to five years and a fine of at least AED100,000.
The Astra UTM platform, founded in 2015, now supports more than 30,000 drone operators across the world. It said Dubai was the first city in the world to roll out mandatory tracking of commercial drone flights using its patented systems.
Besides the UAE, the company has projects in New Zealand, Italy, Finland, Spain and India.
The global drone traffic management market grew by over 20 percent last year, from $770.1 million in 2020 to an estimated $929.29 million in 2021.
With bases in Dubai, London and Boston, Kamil said: “We are eyeing strategic expansion in Europe and South America to address the rapidly growing UTM needs of players in our key focus industries.”
