UK drone operators prove safe shared airspace in Chorley test

A live demonstration in Chorley, Lancashire, has proven that multiple drone operators can safely share airspace. The test involved commercial delivery and emergency service drones flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and within visual line of sight (VLOS) inside a designated Temporary Danger Area (TDA).

ANRA Technologies, Wing, Manna Air Delivery, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service conducted the coordinated flights. They used strategic deconfliction, exchanging flight intentions before missions to identify and resolve potential conflicts. Wing operated its own vertically integrated UTM platform, while ANRA provided Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management services for Manna and the fire service.

Regulatory approval and CAA involvement

The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority approved the digital airspace coordination approach used. The regulator views the exercise as an important milestone for developing routine BVLOS operations and modernizing UK airspace.

Giancarlo Buono, Group Director of Safety, Airspace and Regulatory Group at the CAA, said the exercise provided valuable evidence. He called it an important milestone demonstrating how operators can coordinate safely using common standards.

Technical interoperability and open standards

Interoperability between the different systems was achieved using the internationally recognized ASTM F3548-21 standard. This standard supports the exchange of flight information between independent UTM service providers. The systems communicated through this standard to share flight intentions.

Governance arrangements and automated testing through the open-source InterUSS Platform further supported the technical interoperability. This allowed the separate UTM platforms to communicate and resolve conflicts digitally.

Operator perspectives and future scaling

Company representatives stressed that such interoperability is critical for scaling drone services. The consortium's work focuses on five key areas: technical interoperability, common operational procedures, governance and accountability, easier onboarding of new operators, and regulatory alignment with the CAA.

Alan Hicks, CTO of Manna Air Delivery, stated the demonstration showed interoperability working in actual operations, rather than just on paper. Reinaldo Negron, Head of UTM at Wing, emphasized the importance of open frameworks that allow additional operators and service providers to join.

For the emergency services, the initiative ensures they can deploy drones quickly while other operators use the surrounding airspace safely. Tim Murrell, drone manager at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, noted that emergency services must be able to deploy aircraft quickly and safely to help communities.

The Chorley demonstration is part of an ongoing industry-led initiative to establish a common framework for shared airspace operations. The consortium is adapting internationally recognised standards and operating practices for the U.K., drawing on experience from U.S. shared airspace initiatives. Its goal is to turn the operational evaluation into a repeatable framework adoptable across the UK.

Building on this test, the consortium will continue working with the CAA and industry partners to refine interoperability, operating procedures, and governance requirements. The bigger ambition is to establish a national approach making shared drone operations practical beyond Chorley. The consortium plans to bring additional operators and UTM providers into the framework to refine interoperability and expand shared airspace operations nationally.