Airservices Australia has announced the first wave of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Uncrewed Service Suppliers (USS) that will integrate with its new Flight Information Management System (FIMS).
The move is a key step in developing Australia’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) ecosystem, ensuring communication between air traffic control, conventional aircraft, and the growing number of drones.
Following a competitive Request for Proposal in late 2024, three companies have been selected to begin technical integration with FIMS: Australian-based AvSoft and Yarra Drones, along with U.S.-headquartered OneSky.
“This selection marks a significant milestone in our growth and reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative, data-driven digital solutions that shall enable the drone ecosystem to scale up to its full potential across Australia—and soon, globally,” Ravi Murty, Founder of Yarra Drones, told Zag Daily.
Airservices Australia estimates that by 2043, over 60 million drones will be active in the country’s airspace. The FIMS platform aims to become the backbone of a national framework, enabling data-sharing and real-time airspace coordination to accommodate this growth.
In partnership with Frequentis Australasia and supported by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the integration process will involve end-to-end testing of FIMS capabilities, ensuring both technical and regulatory standards are met.
“Following integration with Airservices’ FIMS by the end of 2025, we will provide services such as airspace awareness, operational planning, strategic coordination, and automated airspace authorization across most controlled aerodromes. Our solution will provide real-time deconfliction services, enabling multiple drone operators to conduct BVLOS operations safely,” Murty explained.
The initial onboarding of USS partners marks the beginning of a larger rollout. Future onboarding rounds in 2025 will expand the number of integrated service providers, building on the groundwork laid by the first cohort.
The long-term goal is to create an open-market UTM framework that ensures the safe and sustainable growth of the drone and emerging aviation industries.
