The Astra UTM platform, founded in 2015, now supports more than 30,000 drone operators across the world in safely and efficiently planning and managing their flights. Thanks to Astra’s ground-breaking commercial drone tracking technology, Dubai was the first city in the world to roll out mandatory tracking of commercial drone flights using its patented SkyCommander and SkyTrax systems. And with that, Dubai also became the first to have a fully-functioning, operational UTM system. Besides the UAE, the company has a series of outstanding projects in New Zealand, Italy, Finland, Spain and India.
Astra UTM, the world’s most advanced drone traffic management platform, announced the appointment of senior business development executives across several key geographies in Europe and South America as part of its international expansion strategy.
There has been a recent spike in the demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commonly referred to as drones. From flying taxis to delivery drones, from monitoring and surveillance to emergency response, and from aerial photography to agricultural use, commercial drone traffic is set to witness massive growth, leading to potential overcrowding in the skies. A UTM platform that helps avoid incidents and seamlessly adapts to the evolving regulations is critical for supporting and stabilising the ecosystem.
The move follows the rollout of its strategic growth plan in line with Astra UTM’s mission to occupy a leadership slot in the global Urban Air Mobility and Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management sector. “We are thrilled to announce the next phase of our strategic growth plan, where we transition from a promising start-up to becoming a leading player in the UTM, UAM industry landscape. Our key strength has been to evolve and adjust with the continuously developing drone technologies and regulations,” said Ayhan Kamil, Chief Commercial Officer, Astra UTM.
“The need for a robust and flexible UTM, especially in global cities where 5G adoption is set to accelerate commercial drone deployment, cannot be overstated,” said Kamil. As the volume of drone flights reaches a tipping point, safely managing flights requires a sophisticated and secure system that can seamlessly plan and request clearance and factor in potential hazards and airspace restrictions.
Demand for Astra UTM continues to accelerate internationally, underscoring the need for the company’s rapid expansion. The market’s current growth and future forecasts validate Astra UTM’s expansion in Europe and South America. The global drone traffic management market grew by over 20 per cent last year, from $770.1 Million in 2020 to an estimated $929.29 Million in 2021. A January 2022 report by 360iResearch reckons the market will grow at a CAGR of 21.03% to reach $2.93 Billion by 2027.
With bases in Dubai, London and Boston, Astra UTM, one of the industry’s leading innovators and technology providers, is uniquely positioned to leverage this exceptional opportunity. “We are eyeing strategic expansion in Europe and South America to address the rapidly growing UTM needs of players in our key focus industries, including ANSPs, international events, ports, and communications, among others,” said Kamil.
As drones tap wider opportunities, Astra UTM is now eyeing a more prominent footprint across key markets in addition to hiring, scaling the company’s enterprise customer base, and supporting its growing partnership network.
Astra UTM’s Senior Business Development Executives bring decades of global market knowledge and critical relationships in niche industries. The company aims to develop strategic channel partnerships to provide UTM-based consulting, sales, service, and training capabilities through its new team.
