• Drone footage will be used to inspect damage and prioritize resources by Israeli civil defense, fire and police services
• Airwayz will provide both USS and UTM software for the operation
Flight system and Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) specialist Airwayz has today announced it has been awarded a contract by Ayalon Highways, an Israeli governmental company. In order to quickly investigate and respond to missile damage to civilian structures and infrastructure in the towns of Ashdod and Ashkelon, the Israeli civil defense, fire and police services will inspect drone footage to assess damage and prioritize remedial work, saving time, making best use of resources and restoring public safety quicker. In a world first, the project will see multiple drone fleets operate in the same urban airspace, managed by Airwayz UTM and also using Airwayz USS (UAS Service Supplier) systems for several drone fleets.
“Airwayz technology has been developed to enable drone fleet management in the real-world and this is the first time we will implement it, managing multiple drone fleets outside of a test pilot program and in a real-life scenario. In fact, it’s the first time any UTM system will be used in this way,” says Eyal Zor, CEO and Co-Founder of Airwayz. “We are pleased to have been chosen to support such an important operation and to be able to facilitate the inspection requirements so quickly. The use of drones means the emergency services can have their eyes on site much quicker, assess the priorities and send personnel out knowing they’re using their resources effectively.”
The operation, set-up by Ayalon Highways, has initially been deployed in the towns of Ashdod and Ashkelon, with the intention to expand inspections to other areas if required. Ayalon Highways issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) with a tight turnaround last week, knowing that such an operation was possible following a successful pilot scheme, dubbed The NAAMA Project, which was rolled out in Hadera in March. The NAAMA Project was organized by several government departments including the Israel Innovation Authority, the Israel Ministry of Transport (through Ayalon Highways), The Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) and The Smart Mobility Initiative at The Israel Prime Minister’s Office, in order to validate the safe and efficient integration of drone deliveries in urban environments. Airwayz also took part in the project, providing UTM and USS for several drone operators.
Airwayz UTM technology uniquely combines decision-making capabilities at both USS and UTM level, for revolutionary real-time multi-drone flight performance. Also employing AI (Artificial Intelligence), Airwayz systems incorporate functions such as advanced mission planning, remote control and multiple autonomous flight modes, which are integrated with a cloud-based network. The Dynamic Airspace Management feature also allows operational teams using the software to share flight information and enable operational coordination with each other in a single airspace.
“By using our powerful AI-based flight software, UTM and piloting, all parties involved can undertake their individual tasks efficiently and most importantly, safely. With the damage that has taken place in Ashdod and Ashkelon, it is important that we react quickly to rectify the damage and reduce any long-term effects,” adds Zor. “Fundamentally, we are honored to be playing such a significant part in public safety and show the world how multiple drone fleets can be implemented safely in real-life scenarios, reaching the full potential of the technology.”
