Reading, UK: Altitude Angel, the world’s leading UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology provider, is proud to announce it has been awarded a United States patent for its pioneering ground-based detect and avoid (DAA) technology, ARROW, the foundational innovation behind the UK’s first drone superhighway.
The newly U.S. patented ARROW system enables drones to safely operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) without the need for onboard sensors or, critically, visual observers. Instead, ARROW leverages a network of strategically positioned ground-based sensors - including radio frequency detectors and high-resolution cameras. The data collected is then ‘fused' through Altitude Angel’s air traffic management software to provide a high-resolution, real-time, airspace picture at significantly lower cost and with comparable characteristics to RADAR.
This ground-breaking technology allows drones to seamlessly integrate into shared airspace with traditional aircraft, unlocking transformative applications in emergency response, medical logistics, infrastructure inspection, and more.
Further, the technology is designed to provide automated air traffic control to commercial drones who want to use the service, independent of 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.
“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.”
The U.S. patent strengthens Altitude Angel’s global IP portfolio, which includes two UK patents awarded in 2020 – for ARROW, and Conflict Resolution Service – Tactical, and positions Altitude Angel to expand the use of ARROW internationally by enabling trusted, regional, partners to build their own infrastructure on which local drone economies can be developed.
Project Skyway, part of Innovate UK’s Future Flight Challenge, concluded in January 2025 and was led by Altitude Angel in collaboration with BT and other key partners. The project demonstrated how ARROW can deliver “Separation-as-a-Service,” enabling safe, inclusive, and efficient, multiple drone operations (and operators) without segregating airspace or requiring costly onboard equipment.
The patents confirm Altitude Angel’s commitment, ingenuity and push for innovation, to support the next generation of urban air mobility and autonomous aviation.
For more information, please contact:
Stephen Farmer, Head of Corporate Communications & PR, Altitude Angel
stephen@altitudeangel.com
ENDS
About Altitude Angel
Altitude Angel is an award-winning provider of UTM (Unified Traffic Management) software, enabling those planning to operate, or develop, UTM/U-Space solutions to quickly integrate robust data and services with minimum effort.
Today, Altitude Angel’s market-defining technology is providing a critical, enabling service on which the future of UTM will be built across the globe. Altitude Angel led a consortium of businesses to build and develop 165 miles (265km) of ‘drone superhighway’ connecting airspace above Reading, Oxford, Coventry, and Rugby. The Skyway superhighway network, enabled using Altitude Angel’s patented ARROW® technology, showcased the huge potential offered by unmanned aerial vehicles and will be a catalyst to enable growth in the urban air mobility industry.
Altitude Angel’s first party solutions also power some of the world’s leading ANSPs, aviation authorities and Enterprises, including LVNL (Netherlands) and NATS (UK) empowering them with new capabilities to safely manage and integrate drone traffic into national operations.
By unlocking the potential of drones and helping national aviation authorities, ANSPs, developers and enterprise organisations, Altitude Angel is establishing new services to support the growth in the drone industry.
Altitude Angel was founded by Richard Parker in 2014 and is headquartered in Reading, UK.
Altitude Angel’s developer platform is open and available to all at https://developers.altitudeangel.com.
Diagram of Detect-And-Avoid (DAA) solution