Thales and Avinor have formed a partnership to implement Thales’ Topsky – UAS, powered by AstraUTM, as Norway’s nationwide Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system.
Avinor, a Norwegian air navigation service provider and airport operator, will enable the deployment of the UTM across the country. With the new system, drone operators, air traffic service providers (ATSP), government agencies, and other key stakeholders will be provided with the services they require to operate, including the Common Information Service (CIS) and U-space Service Provider (USSP) provisions.
“We are honoured to collaborate with Avinor to bring this nationwide UTM system to life in Norway, prioritising safety, innovation, and, naturally, regulatory alignment,” said Christian Rivierre, Vice-President Airspace Mobility Solutions, Thales. “Together with Avinor, we embrace the development of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) services in non-segregated airspaces, enabling technologies that make it simple and economical to perform safe, repeatable and scalable commercial UAS operations. Our UTM solutions, recently enhanced with AstraUTM, a Thales company, reflect Thales’ commitment to advancing airspace management and setting the foundation for safe and integrated air mobility.”
Thales’ Topsky – UAS powered by AstraUTM provides a scalable digital platform for automated UTM and future AAM (Advanced Airspace Mobility), helping to manage air traffic and offering compliance monitoring, authorisation management, real-time decision-making, continuous airspace surveillance, automated conflict resolution, and rapid response to dynamic conditions.
“At Avinor, we are proud to be an active contributor in developing uncrewed aviation in Norway,” commented Mats Bye Gjertsen, Vice-President Avinor Drone Programme. “Partnering with Thales on this next-generation UTM system reflects our dedication to advancing uncrewed operations in Norwegian airspace. This system will support Avinor’s role in ensuring the safe and efficient integration of drones, providing oversight, and managing airspace responsibly. We are excited to work with Thales as a strategic partner to deliver a solution that benefits all airspace users and supports air traffic services in managing drone operations.”
By implementing a nationwide system, Norway will have access to real-time data sharing, automated airspace access, and enhanced situational awareness for all operators across the country’s airspace, including both civilian and governmental stakeholders.
Image: Thales
