The autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology platform company, EHang, has signed an agreement with Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) to establish a command-and-control centre to manage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The facility at Heydar Aliyev will be fully integrated with the Azerbaijani air traffic control system and will allow Azerbaijan Air Navigation Services (AZANS), to control UAV traffic on the airport’s premises and prevent the unauthorised use of UAVs. AZANS serves more than 500 aircraft each day.
To support airfield design and aerial and aerial navigation map development, AZANs will also be equipped with technologies including 3D mapping and terrain scanning. The agreement will also see EHang train specialists at the National Academy of Aviation of Azerbaijan and build a UAV management simulator complex.
“UAVs represent a significant opportunity to optimize airport operations, but it is important to launch them into the right infrastructural framework,” said Hu Huazhi, EHang’s founder, chairman and CEO. “Our command-and-control centre enables the seamless integration of new aerial mobility options into existing air traffic patterns and we are excited to partner with AZANS on this project, which paves the way for future partnerships with aviation authorities globally.”
