Patent strengthens support for BVLOS drone operations and expands potential for drone superhighways worldwide
Altitude Angel Secures U.S. Patent for ARROW
Altitude Angel, a UK-based provider of Unified Traffic Management (UTM) technology, has received a United States patent for its ARROW ground-based detect-and-avoid (DAA) system. ARROW is a key innovation behind the UK’s first drone superhighway, and the patent strengthens Altitude Angel’s growing international intellectual property portfolio.
“Receiving this U.S. patent is a major milestone for Altitude Angel and a testament to the ingenuity of our team,” said Richard Parker, CEO and founder of Altitude Angel. “ARROW is not just a technology – it’s a seismic shift in how we think about airspace access and drone operations. With this patent, we’re one step closer to making scalable, automated drone flight a global reality, by enabling our partners to licence and deploy their own scalable infrastructure.”
How ARROW Works
The ARROW system enables drones to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) without requiring onboard sensors or human visual observers. Instead, it uses a network of ground-based sensors such as radio frequency detectors and high-resolution cameras. These sensors are placed at strategic locations to monitor airspace activity.
The data from these sensors is processed by Altitude Angel’s traffic management software. The system fuses the inputs to create a high-resolution, real-time picture of the surrounding airspace. This provides a safety picture similar to radar but at a lower cost.
Enabling Scalable Drone Operations
ARROW allows drones to operate in shared airspace with traditional aircraft without requiring changes from other airspace users. “This means there is no burden on traditional airspace users, GA pilots, paragliders and the like, to change their operations or carry new equipment.”
The system is designed to provide automated air traffic control for commercial drones that opt into the service. This opens the door for scalable drone operations in areas such as emergency response, healthcare delivery, and infrastructure inspection.
Building on Project Skyway
The patented technology was a foundation for Project Skyway, a large-scale initiative led by Altitude Angel and partners including BT. Concluded in January 2025, Project Skyway was part of the UK’s Future Flight Challenge. The project demonstrated how ARROW enables “Separation-as-a-Service,” allowing multiple drones and operators to fly safely without the need to separate the airspace or equip drones with expensive onboard systems.
Global Expansion Ahead
With the U.S. patent, Altitude Angel can now support international partners in building local infrastructure. These partners will be able to deploy ARROW in their own regions to support local drone economies.
Altitude Angel’s patented systems already support key air navigation service providers (ANSPs), such as LVNL in the Netherlands and NATS in the UK. The company continues to lead efforts to safely integrate drones into national airspace systems.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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