Drone technology

Drones are considered "game changers", inventions that can radically change or create a new market. They are not only modern, flexible and energy-efficient means of transport, they can be used as universal tools in many areas or take on completely new tasks. 

We already know that drones can do a lot of things quickly and precisely. They provide reconnaissance and monitoring for fire departments, civil protection and airports, function as medical couriers and can take special measurements from the air (e.g. spectral analysis). They take completely automated inventories, inspect damage to buildings and help optimise internal transport chains.

Learn how intralogistics can benefit from drones in the film

This is just the beginning. There are numerous new possibilities, especially for large-scale monitoring. For example, environmental hazards can be detected with special cameras, precise situation images can be created for traffic or event and disaster control, or operational protection can be optimised. Inaccessible or dangerous regions are also much easier to reach with unmanned drones.

The safe side of U-Space

You cannot see a U-Space. It is a digitally managed airspace in which unmanned aerial vehicles fly according to certain rules. A business field with a lot of potential: 44 billion could be the market volume in drone logistics in 2030.

>> What exactly is a U-Space?

Better air traffic management enables new solutions

Experts predict that the economic significance of drones is set to expand. In Europe alone, revenue from commercial drones is set to increase by more than 40 percent per year until 2025. This does mean, however, that drones need to fly partially autonomously and in greater numbers.

which would require efficient air traffic management to make the lower airspace more useful without compromising safety below. A lot more people are starting to use drones, which must not get in the way of each other or helicopters. Intelligent technological control centre solutions and new laws are necessary to regulate this. These solutions are currently being tested in Hamburg.

HHLA Sky offers control centre and industrial drones

The corporate start-up HHLA Sky has won important prizes, like the German Innovation Award in 2021, for its unique, globally scalable end-to-end drone system. It consists of a control centre and extremely safe industrial drones that were designed for use beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS). This control centre can operate entire drone fleets simultaneously at different deployment sites around the world. The software helps to make decisions on flight operations in real time and minimises risks through continuous monitoring.

Drone capital Hamburg

Hamburg has become a leading drone innovation metropolis in Europe. A lot of projects and companies have won awards, research institutions are getting involved, and federal ministries are generously awarding funding. They are testing the constraints of sharing airspace and have drafted a regulatory basis for drone traffic as a model for European legislation.

More about HHLA Sky

A website for decision-makers with a pioneering spirit who are convinced of the opportunities offered by autonomous drone operations. And for optimizers who want to improve existing processes with a well thought-out drone solution.

To the HHLA Sky website

Further megatrends and fields of action at HHLA

All information on the current trends automation, artificial intelligence, digitalized supply chains, drones and hydrogen as well as HHLA's projects.

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