Sagetech Avionics, along with partner Ciconia Ltd., has been awarded a $1 million grant by the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Homeland Security (HLS) program for the development of a mid-air conflict management and collision avoidance system. The technology is intended to provide a safe way for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and manned aircraft to coexist in crowded airspace, for the benefit of first responders.
Sagetech is an aerospace technology company providing state-of-the-art situational awareness solutions for drones and manned aircraft, and Ciconia is a developer of collision avoidance systems with intuitive prioritization and conflict management methods for all aerial platforms. The BIRD HLS program is a joint initiative, funded by the U.S. Depertment of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Israel Ministry of Public Security (MOPS) and managed by the BIRD Foundation, that aims to support the development of advanced technologies for homeland security needs.
Tom Furey, CEO of Sagetech Avionics, commented: “Sagetech is delighted to have been chosen for this BIRD Foundation grant. We’ve been working with Ciconia on a crowded airspace collision avoidance system, and this program fits very well with our intended collaboration. Together, we will be developing a unique mid-air conflict management system which marries both of our current technologies to create a solution for safe integration of crewed and uncrewed air vehicles in very dense airspace. This grant will help accelerate a critical technology development and advance a powerful international partnership.”
Moshe Cohen, CEO of Ciconia, noted: “There is a significant opportunity for first responder organizations to use both crewed and uncrewed vehicles to improve flight safety, response time and effectiveness. Our partnership with Sagetech will enable us to jointly develop and commercialize a far more efficient means of employing all airborne assets in critical situations.”
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