Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), in partnership with UAV traffic management company AirMap and Swiss air navigation service provider skyguide, announced the deployment of a Flight Information Management System (FIMS) for UAVs.

The cloud-based FIMS is an aviation data exchange system that connects skyguide’s air traffic management system to UAS service providers with open interfaces to support safe and compliant drone operations in low-altitude airspace. The real-time platform gives UAV operators airspace information, directives, and air traffic information. The platform provides traffic control operators with UAV flight plans in their airspace as well as the ability to manage authorization requests.

FIMS is part of the wider development of the Swiss U-space Implementation (SUSI) program, Switzerland’s drone traffic management network infrastructure.

“The Swiss U-space FIMS is a critical building block toward full UTM [Unmanned Air Traffic Management] implementation in Switzerland,” said Klaus Meier, skyguide Chief Technology Officer. “Following the creation of SUSI, the Swiss U-space Implementation framework designed by FOCA to build an open UTM ecosystem in Switzerland, we are delighted to announce the availability of the FIMS open interfaces to connect skyguide with multiple UAS Service Providers.”

Over the last several years the FAA has been rolling out Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), currently available at approximately 600 towered airports in the U.S. However, LAANC only provide airspace authorizations, and not air traffic information.