German drone provider Droniq and UAV-tech firm Sky Drone are teaming up to help pilots better control unmanned aircraft beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

Under the partnership, Droniq will use Sky Drone’s platform to offer a hardware package that enhances locating, controlling and transmitting drone data during BVLOS flights. The platform is part of Droniq’s UTM system the firm designed for the German market.

Droniq’s UTM service streamlines safe drone integration into public airspace and provides a basis for broad commercial drone use over longer distances.

“Sky Drone perfectly complements the UTM approach of Droniq and is an essential building block for making BVLOS flights reality,” Droniq CEO Ralph Schepp.

“We’ve seen the technology being used at several of our customers in Germany and are absolutely convinced of Sky Drone’s technology and their pragmatic mentality.”

A joint venture of German air-traffic control group Deutsche Flugsicherung and Deutsche Telekom, Droniq will use the new tech to provide real-time communication for drones during flight. The platform will leverage Deutsche Telekom’s 4G/LTE network to transfer command and control, video, sensor and telemetry data with low latency.

The company already offers an LTE-tracking module known as HOD4track (Hook-On-Device) which sends position data every second via the UTM’s mobile network.

HOD4trackalso receives signals from helicopters, gliders and small aircraft in the vicinity and sends those to the UTM as well. As such, drone pilots are always aware of the airspace situation. The HOD4track broadcasts its position so that other aircraft in the vicinity see the drone from the cockpit.

Sky Drone uses similar tech to deliver medicine and vaccines in remote regions of Africa and Europe.

“Droniq is the ideal partner for our real-time communication system for drones that’s already being used across the globe,” Sky Drone CEO Boris Boege said.

“Their reach in Germany and Europe allows the efficient use as well as safe integration of drones into the public airspace.”