The UK government has today announced it has given the go-ahead to for the world’s largest and longest network of drone superhighways to be built in the UK. The drone superhighway will link cities and towns throughout the midlands to the southeast of the country, with the option to expand the corridor to any other locations in the country.

This ambitious new transport capability will be achieved thanks to a consortium led by Reading-based UTM (Unified Traffic Management) solution provider, Altitude Angel, alongside BT, supplying expertise and connectivity through its mobile network, EE, and a number of UK tech start-ups. Together, the group will build and develop 165 miles (265km) of ‘drone superhighways’ connecting airspace above Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Coventry, and Rugby over the next two years.

The plans for the superhighway, submitted under the moniker ‘Project Skyway’, were proposed as part of the Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS) InnovateUK program which aims to support business growth through the development and commercialization of new products, processes, and services.

The government will officially announce the project at Farnborough Air Show on Monday, 18 July.

The Skyway superhighway network will help unlock the huge potential offered by unmanned aerial vehicles and be a catalyst to enable growth in the urban air mobility industry.

Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder said:“The capability we are deploying and proving through Skyway can revolutionize the way we transport goods and travel in a way not experienced since the advent of the railways did in the 18th century: the last ‘transport revolution’. The ARROW® technology we are building here is transformative – it is the basis of Skyway and the only scalable, viable mechanism to start integrating of drones into our everyday lives, safely and fairly, ensuring that airspace can remain open, and crewed and uncrewed aviation from any party can safely coexist.

“Skyway gives us not just the opportunity to ‘level up’ access to green transportation across Britain, but we can benefit first and export it globally. We are therefore thrilled to be flying the flag on the global stage for UK Plc.”

Dave Pankhurst, BT’s Director of Drones, said: “The social and economic potential of drones is immense and requires close industry collaboration to fully unlock these opportunities in a safe and responsible way. It’s an exciting time to be part of such a powerful consortium. Project Skyway will be crucial to showcase how the UK can not only lead the creation of new jobs and public services, but form the backbone of how we integrate drones into our daily lives.

“Cellular connectivity, and a secure, resilient 4G and 5G mobile network, will continue to enable the rapid growth of the drone market. Through our EE network, BT is providing the UK’s largest and most reliable network to Project Skyway, to keep drones connected to ARROW® so they can receive greater situational awareness and tactical collision avoidance instructions from the autopilot system, and stream key video feeds such as search and rescue footage back to control rooms.”

Jef Geudens, Head of Technology at Skyports Drone Services said: “The Skyway project is an important step in the commercial scale-up of BVLOS UAS operations which will enable high-density UAS operations between key hubs along dedicated corridors. As experienced Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operators, with thousands of hours of flight experience across the UK’s skies, Skyports’ role on the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a drone superhighway through integration with technology systems and extensive test flights.”

Councillor Tony Page, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said:

“Today’s announcement, which includes a flight route from Reading as one part of the world’s largest and longest network of drone superhighways, is excellent news for the town.

“Reading has always been at the forefront of technological advances and has long had a reputation for unrivalled connectivity and as the centre of innovative IT and technology. I’m also pleased that this ambitious project is being spearheaded by a Reading based company.

“This project will put Reading at the forefront of an initiative which has huge potential. As a Council, we strive to ensure our town’s economic growth goes hand-in-hand with achieving our climate goals. The potential access to ‘green’ transportation here complements our own strides towards zero carbon, as well as unlocking the economic potential of harnessing this new technology.”

ARPAS-UK is the only non-profit industry trade association and professional body, focused on the development of the UK drone community. Founded in 2013, ARPAS supports members from start-up businesses to larger established operators, manufacturers, software providers and service companies, through promotion of innovation and best practice.

ARPAS-UK works in the public interest, and advocates professionalism within its membership through compliance with an agreed Code of Conduct and the holding of appropriate permissions. The Association takes progressive stances on national issues to embed the drone profession in all end-user industries, to enable it to continue to grow in reputation and influence

Vizgard is a multi-award-winning provider of edge-based computer vision to increase long-range Security and Surveillance camera system automation in land, sea and air domains. Vizgard’s multi-purpose AI engine, FortifAI, can be rapidly integrated via an encrypted API to provide long-range visual analytics, external sensor fusion and precision camera platform control to reduce false alarms and operator burden.

Skyports Drone Services is a provider and operator of eVTOL drone aircraft for delivery, survey and monitoring operations. The company is expert in the operation of long-range and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) autonomous flight for a multitude of use cases, including ship-to-shore and maritime applications, medical and dangerous goods deliveries, and AI-driven surveys for the agriculture and infrastructure sectors. Skyports Drone Services is committed to elevating business potential, connectivity and access to critical supplies through the application of drone services.

Skyports Drone Services is a business division of Skyports. Formed in 2018, Skyports is driven by a vision to enable society to enjoy a safer, happier, wealthier existence by improving connectivity to people and goods through the provision of AAM infrastructure and drone services, whilst protecting the planet for future generations.

Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, Skyports has projects operating across four continents including Asia, North America, South America, and Europe. Skyports’ investors include Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures, Groupe ADP, Irelandia Aviation, Levitate Capital, Solar Ventus, The Goodman Group, Kanematsu Corporation, Ardian, F2i and GreenPoint.