– Terra Drone acquires a majority stake in Unifly, the world’s leading provider of unmanned aircraft systems (UTM) traffic management technology, with the strategic objective of enhancing the global drone and urban air mobility (UAM) business through of integrated strategies
TOKYO, Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Terra Drone Corporation, a leading player in the UAM and drone industry, has acquired majority shares in Unifly NV, the recognized global leader in UTM. Terra Drone’s share in Unifly has increased to 51%. Unifly’s stakeholders share a unified commitment to the company’s long-term vision. Terra Drone’s initial investment dates back to 2016, with Unifly also securing shareholders such as PMV, the Flemish government’s investment fund. Subsequent investments came from strategic partner and customer DFS, the German air navigation service provider (ANSP), followed by FPIM, the Belgian government’s federal public fund in 2018. JOIN, the Japanese government fund under the Ministry of Transport, made a contribution in 2022.
In 2016, when the drone market was still emerging, Terra Drone recognized the immense potential of digital infrastructure to ensure safety and efficiency in the skies, essential for the expansive growth of the industry. Unifly now serves ANSPs and operates UTM systems in more than 8 countries, consolidating its leading position in the market. Unifly’s technical expertise and unwavering reliability are widely recognized by the market.
Unifly’s UTM platform is used around the world and deftly navigates complex regulatory environments. Fully compliant with Europe’s U-space regulation while accommodating Canada’s RPAS regulation. In particular, Unifly provides services to ANSPs such as ENAIRE in Spain and skeyes in Belgium, which have been pioneers in establishing U-Space. In live Air Traffic Management (ATM) scenarios, the system facilitates the coexistence of drones with manned aircraft. NAV CANADA uses the platform extensively within controlled airspace, processing more than 100,000 flight approvals.
In addition, Unifly is at the forefront driving R&D initiatives in both the US and Europe, dedicated to benchmarking and providing guidance in UTM and UAM. Unifly also highlights local deployments such as the port of Antwerp, where Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) autonomous drone flights operate daily. In Saudi Arabia, Unifly has been selected as the designated UTM platform for NEOM, a visionary megacity project that will be fully supported by Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM).
By merging the well-established capabilities of Unifly with the ambition of Terra Drone, a significant boost in the development and global evolution of UAM and UTM can be foreseen. This collaboration is crucial to shaping the future of aviation.
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