Altitude Angel

Reading will soon be home to a world first: a commercial drone corridor in open, unrestricted airspace. Operated by Altitude Angel, who have taken space in The Blade in central Reading, the project is set to transform how automated drones operate and interact with manned aviation.

Just south of the town, the new 8km Arrow Drone Zone will enable fully automated, beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone flights without the need for specialist onboard hardware.

Unlike traditional restricted corridors, this one will operate in shared airspace with manned aircraft, using Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM O/S platform to manage traffic, ensure safe separation and issue real-time avoidance instructions. Its accessible design opens the skies to any drone company that completes a simple technical integration, making Reading the launchpad for the next generation of commercial drone operations.

For Altitude Angel, Reading has become the ideal base for this game-changing development. Their team has spent years developing the Arrow concept, building a robust safety case and working closely with the aviation community and local landowners. Once the initial corridor is up and running, the technology will be available to license, allowing towns, cities or airports to set up similar zones with ease.

Richard Parker, CEO and founder of Altitude Angel, said: “Project Arrow and Arrow Drone Zones open the door to the next level in the evolution of UTM and automated drone operations. The size of this step cannot be underestimated: BVLOS automated flight in unrestricted airspace is a very significant barrier to overcome in order to realise the vision of mass-commercial drone usage.

"Drone technology has the potential to change the world in a myriad of ways, and Altitude Angel will be ready to support organisations and businesses around the globe to enable automated drone flights and manned aviation to operate safely side-by-side through the implementation of Arrow Drone Zones.”

As the skies over Reading prepare to welcome this next-generation corridor, the town is positioning itself not just as a hub for innovative companies but as a launch site for bold, world-changing ideas.