UK CAA awards funding to advance BVLOS drone operations in shared airspace

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has awarded a grant from the Airspace Modernisation Support Fund to a consortium led by uncrewed aerial systems traffic management (UTM) provider ANRA Technologies UK, with partners Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Manna Drone Delivery, and Wing. 

The project will deliver the UK’s first operational demonstration of multi-UTM service-provider support for overlapping beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations in shared airspace, directly supporting the UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS).

The consortium’s project leverages operational lessons from the ongoing UTM implementation in the USA, bringing those learnings to Lancashire, where the team will conduct live trials through a multi-phase approach. 

Amit Ganjoo, Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies, said: “We look forward to working with the CAA and our partners to create a scalable, evidence-based model for BVLOS operations that supports the AMS and unlocks new commercial and public safety opportunities.”

Jon Charters, Chief Fire Officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, added: “As first responders, we are eager to explore how digital airspace management can enhance emergency response. This project allows us to test how UTM can safely prioritize lifesaving operations while coexisting with commercial drone activity.”

The project will deliver a UK-specific concept of operations and governance framework, building on lessons from around the world to define how multiple drone operators and UTM providers can safely share airspace.

Working with the CAA, the team will validate cooperative operating principles to support both commercial and emergency drone services, helping shape future UK policy and accelerate national UTM deployment. 

As part of this effort, the project will also assess differences between US implementation and UK regulations, providing recommendations for adoption that align with the evolving CAA framework.

California’s Elk Grove Police Department recently received BVLOS approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).