From SAFIR to over 7,000 Drone Operations: How Unifly's UTM System Unlocked New Business Cases for Drones at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges

Antwerp, October 3 – Unifly proudly marks five years since its pivotal involvement in the SAFIR (Safe and Flexible Integration of Initial U-space Services in a Real Environment) project, which revolutionised drone operations at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Through extensive testing and real-world application, the initiative showcased the practical advantages of drone technology in one of Europe’s largest and busiest ports. Today, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges stands as a model of advanced drone integration, enhancing operational efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability—all driven by innovations introduced through the SAFIR project and Unifly’s pre-U-space system.

The SAFIR project marked a major milestone in the operational integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in complex environments like the Port of Antwerp-Bruges The project showcased viable and robust drone operations, including surveillance flights, parcel delivery, medical transport, and infrastructure mapping. Covering over 120 km² of critical infrastructure, SAFIR demonstrated that U-space services could be deployed safely and reliably, significantly enhancing safety by enabling port authorities to manage, inspect, and control large areas swiftly and securely.

Following the success of SAFIR, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges took the strategic step to become a geozone manager, overseeing and regulating drone operations within its jurisdiction. To support this role, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges implemented Unifly’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) platform, enabling real-time monitoring, coordination, and management of drone flights. By enhancing situational awareness and communication, Unifly’s UTM platform has unlocked new business opportunities, positioning the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a leader in smart port technology and drone integration.

“The port of the future has a network of autonomous drones that fly BVLOS over the port area several times a day and transmit data in real-time. SAFIR project was one giant step forward for this to become reality.”

Bob Spanoghe, Project Lead Drones at Port of Antwerp-Bruges

Unifly’s pre-U-space system has unlocked numerous business cases by facilitating the expansion of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights, revolutionising industries such as logistics and delivery, infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, security, and emergency response. The system’s integration with eID and RF infrastructure ensures robust compliance monitoring by detecting non-compliant drones. At the same time, the digitised and secure flight approval process has streamlined operations, making it faster and easier for drone operators to obtain necessary permissions.

“The Unifly platform has been a game-changer for us. What used to take up to three weeks to secure flight approvals now takes just one day. This has opened up new business opportunities, allowed us to operate more efficiently and respond quickly to client needs within the Port of Antwerp.”

Joris Cleiren, Creative Director of SKY VISION bv, drone operator at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges

In the past three years, 7336 drone operations took place at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, of which part were BVLOS operations. With numerous authorization requests granted. this reflects the successful integration of drone technology into port operations. The growing number of applications benefiting from BVLOS capabilities, enabled by Unifly’s UTM system, is paving the way for future Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

“The successful BVLOS flights at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges have demonstrated the transformative potential of drone technology. By integrating the Unifly UTM platform and the pre-Uspace services, we've enabled the Port to manage its airspace safely and efficiently, unlocking new business opportunities. We are proud to lead this innovation and look forward to setting new standards in UTM and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).”

Andres Van Swalm, CEO of Unifly

Building on the foundation of the SAFIR project, Unifly continues to drive innovation in drone technology and AAM. The achievements of the past five years have positioned both the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Unifly as pioneers in drone integration across Europe, with the Unifly platform setting new benchmarks in the UTM industry.

About SAFIR PROJECT

SAFIR stands for Safe and Flexible Integration of Initial U-space Services in a Real Environment. The SAFIR consortium, led by Unifly, consists of 13 public and private organizations. The SAFIR project demonstrated the safety and economic viability of integrated drone traffic in a challenging environment. Three U-space service providers (USSP) and an Air Navigation Service Provider jointly controlled the airspace. Interoperable, harmonized, and standardized U-space services can be deployed safely and reliably across Europe.

About Unifly

Unifly is a leading aviation tech company dedicated to enhancing the safety and efficiency of autonomous aviation with cutting-edge technology. The Unifly platform is a crucial bridge within the UAS ecosystem, enabling the safe and secure integration of next-generation aircraft into the airspace. By digitising and automating traffic management and integrating seamlessly with drones and Urban Air Mobility (UAM), Unifly addresses the expected growth in air traffic in the coming decades. The company has a proven track record of implementing more than ten commercial UTM deployments, establishing it as a world leader.

This project received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement SJU/LC/344-CTR. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the SESAR JU members other than the Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or JU. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible.

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