Standardising body Global UTM forms partnership with World Air Sports Federation

In a recent article, ThinkSport highlighted the numerous drone-related activities which were founded in the canton of Vaud. This tendency was strengthened with the establishment of a body responsible for standardisation in this domain, located at the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The body known as Global UTM (Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management) was set up in July and there are more opportunities to come. Just this week, Global UTM sealed a partnership with the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), a Lausanne-based International Federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose main mission is to be the global organisation for the promotion of air sports and recreational flying.

FAI joins a group of 40 organisations from 15 countries which are all partnering with Global UTM, among them big names like the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Union (EU), the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (OFAC) and leading companies such as DJI and Parrot. These bodies represent air navigation service providers, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) manufacturers, UAS operators, Global UTM data and software providers, infrastructure providers, regulatory bodies and academic experts.

The idea to set up Global UTM was born after discussions between researchers at the EPFL, manufacturers, engineers and air traffic regulators. Global UTM’s objective is to provide the drone industry with a framework of international standards. Flying robotics and unmanned systems are also being deployed in sport, for instance when it comes to live sports coverage or sports performance analysis. Indeed, more and more sectors are making use of drones, be it in the fields of security, inspection, transport, agriculture or particularly sport. This “boom” goes hand in hand with the need for establishing a legislative framework. The latter being the réason d’être of Global UTM. The association addresses pressing questions such as: How to register drones? Should there be air "corridors" and spaces where drones are not allowed to fly? How to avoid collisions? And which conditions are to be set up for deliveries by drones?

The decision to set up Global UTM in Lausanne was directly linked to the presence of many drone industry start-ups in the region as well as the related services the association requires. Benoit Curdy, Secretary General of Global UTM explains: "The strategic and commercial issues of our industry are important, and Lausanne provides us with the ideal environment to evolve quickly and efficiently," he says and adds “Everybody is here: academic partners, specialists in robotics and air traffic control and other experts. Of course we are also in permanent contact with our partners spread across the world.”

No doubt that the future development of this industry is crucial, with its turnover being estimated at $ 42.5 billion by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a consultant of Global UTM. It is the EPFL which has made a major contribution to shaping this promising industry, notably by hosting the national program of robotics research but, for Benoit Curdy, Global UTM's mission goes well beyond the establishment of technical and legislative standards: "We are facilitators, not lobbyists. We are the mediators of a new world, which is the beauty of our project."

Learn more about Global UTM here.