NTU to develop traffic management solutions for UAVs

NANYANG Technological University (NTU) researchers are working on developing a traffic management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to ensure that they fly efficiently and safely in Singapore's airspace.

The four-year programme, which began in August, will focus on areas such as smart and safe routing, detect-and-avoid systems, and traffic management to coordinate air traffic.

The project is spearheaded by NTU's Air Traffic Management Research Institute (ATMRI), a joint research centre by NTU and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Leading the research programme are NTU professor Low Kin Huat, an expert in robotics and UAVs from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and ATMRI senior research fellow Mohamed Faisal Bin Mohamed Salleh.

This move comes as UAV traffic is expected to grow significantly over the next decade.

Prof Low said: "This new traffic management project will test some of the new concepts developed with the aim of achieving safe and efficient drone traffic in our urban airways. The implications of the project will have far reaching consequences, as we are developing ways for seamless travel of unmanned aircrafts for different purposes without compromising safety, which is of paramount importance."