Terra Drone, a Japanese titan in drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies, has made a pivotal move by investing in Aloft Technologies, a US-based leader in drone fleet and airspace management. This strategic investment not only makes Terra Drone the largest shareholder in Aloft but also signals Terra Drone's ambitious entry into the US market—the largest global arena for drones and AAMs.
Aloft Technologies, has welcomed Yuki Ueno, Terra Drone’s executive officer responsible for UTM business, onto its board of directors. This inclusion underscores the strategic depth of the partnership.
Terra Drone's founder and CEO, Toru Tokushige, expressed enthusiasm for the deal, envisioning a future where drones and AAMs are intertwined with daily life. "The seamless operation of a UTM system is crucial to realize this vision," Tokushige stated, emphasizing the company's long-standing commitment to UTM technology since its inception and its goal to spearhead UTM evolution on a worldwide scale.
This collaboration is set to leverage Aloft’s leadership in FAA-certified UAS services, a domain where it has powered over 84% of all airspace authorizations in the US as of 2022. Aloft’s platform, which surpassed 1 million Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) requests last year, offers a comprehensive cloud-based drone fleet management system. This system supports the full spectrum of drone operations, from pre-flight to post-flight activities, ensuring efficiency, automation, and compliance across major industries like energy, construction, and public safety.
Jon Hegranes, Founder and CEO of Aloft, highlighted the collaboration's strategic significance, anticipating it will position both entities at the leading edge of UTM system evolution. “Our collaboration with Terra Drone positions us at the forefront of this evolution, offering the unique opportunity to harmonize operational standards and leverage technology to enhance the efficiency and reach of drone flights on an international scale,” Hegranes remarked.
The partnership between Terra Drone and Aloft, reinforced by Terra Drone's subsidiary Unifly—a Belgium-based UTM provider acquired in July 2023—embodies a shared ambition to enrich the UTM ecosystem. It reflects a commitment to navigating the complexities of global drone operations and setting new benchmarks for safety, scalability, and sustainability in the skies.
As the drone and AAM sectors stand on the brink of a new development phase, underscored by the FAA's "Innovate 2028" plan, Terra Drone and Aloft's strategic alliance heralds a future of enhanced connectivity and innovation in airspace management. This investment not only marks Terra Drone's aggressive expansion into the US but also solidifies its position as a global leader in the advancement of UTM technologies.
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