The German Armed Forces have contracted Frequentis Germany to investigate a military uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system that enables the safe integration of UAVs into the controlled airspace.
“With this decision for the modernisation of military air traffic management, the German Armed Forces fulfil an essential requirement for the safe use of UAVs in all forms of operations. This enables the German Armed Forces to manage the limited airspace efficiently and safely. This step is crucial for making air traffic control fit for the future while ensuring the flexibility and scalability required for the safe operations of UAVs,” says Marcel Haar, Managing Director of Frequentis Germany.
Since December 2024, Frequentis has been conducting intensive tests together with the Technical Center for aircraft and aviation equipment of the German Armed Forces (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle) as first military user, in which military and civil UAVs are integrated during ongoing flight operations at the WTD61 site.
The contract includes the provision, investigation, and testing of a digital, scalable UTM service for air traffic control. This service should enable a coordinated use of airspace between different branches of the armed forces and can be integrated into the existing infrastructure of the German Armed Forces, if necessary.
The UTM service includes flight approval, flight control, and weather services as well as geo awareness and an alarm mechanism. In critical situations, it allows the military air traffic controllers to directly contact the UAV operating personnel. Furthermore, the UTM service is crucial for the dynamic airspace management and the tactical airspace coordination of the military air traffic control. It will enable defence against enemy or non-cooperative UAVs possible by transmitting a uniform air situation picture to C-UAV systems. C-UAV (counter-uncrewed aerial vehicle) systems are specialised technologies for the detection, tracking, and neutralisation of UAVs to prevent threats in the airspace.
In line with the national digital convergence, the German Armed Forces and Frequentis pursue a concept in which the German Armed Forces operate the UTM service independently as a service provider and make it available to all airspace users. With this initiative, the German Armed Forces and Frequentis advance the digitalisation and modernisation of military air traffic management – for more safety, efficiency, and a future-oriented use of airspace.
