Evolution of airspace ecosystem needed now

Imagine a morning a few years from now: a drone lifts off carrying a life-saving organ for an urgent transplant, another drone delivers a parcel across the city, and above them, an air taxi takes two passengers to the airport. They all share the same slice of sky over the city, and they do so safely.

The question is, who makes sure they stay out of each other's way?

The answer lies not in a single technology, but in the evolution of the entire airspace ecosystem that enables all aircraft to operate safely together.

The low-altitude economy has arrived faster than many anticipated. Delivery drones are already flying in several countries, and large-scale drone operations are emerging in many regions. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the vehicles many people call air taxis, are close to entering service. The vehicles are here, the demand is real, and much of the technology is proven.

When discussing this future, people often focus on the aircraft. That is understandable as they are new and visible. However, in my view, the aircraft are the easier part. The more difficult challenge is how we can progressively evolve the airspace system to safely accommodate these new operations alongside today's aviation.

The low-altitude economy offers real rewards. These aircraft can ease pressure on congested city roads, deliver urgent medical supplies, and reach communities that are hard to serve today.

But those benefits are possible only if the flights are safe. And safety at this scale is a question of the system, not of a single aircraft.

Let me explain. Today's airspace was designed for a different kind of flying. It relies on flight rules written decades ago and on air traffic controllers speaking directly to pilots. That approach has kept aviation safe and works well for a modest number of crewed aircraft moving in predictable ways.

Low-altitude flying is different. Drones, air taxis and increasingly automated aircraft vary widely in speed, size and operational capability, and they are expected in far greater numbers. A city might see thousands of low-altitude flights in a day. To safely accommodate this unprecedented scale and complexity, the traditional framework must be augmented by advanced digital tools and automated oversight mechanisms.

So, what needs to change? I would highlight three shifts.

First, we need to move from voice and radar toward shared digital information. When every operator has the same trusted, real-time picture of the sky, coordination becomes easier, and much of it can be automated. Controllers will move from steering each flight to overseeing the system and intervening where human judgment adds the greatest value.

Second, the airspace itself needs to be managed more flexibly. For decades, we relied on fixed rules and boundaries. A digital system can adapt in real time to each aircraft's capabilities, how busy the sky is, and the level of risk involved. This allows the airspace to accommodate more traffic while maintaining the highest levels of safety. Putting safety first does not mean clinging to older systems. It means embracing new solutions that effectively improve safety while enabling innovation.

Third, this transformation must be global and gradual. An aircraft should not stop working the moment it crosses a border. If every country develops its own rules, technologies and operating concepts independently, operators will face a fragmented, more complex, more expensive and ultimately less safe system.

Global standards need to be agreed upon and then implemented locally at a pace that reflects each region's operational needs and level of maturity. Shared standards are what make any network work; roads and the internet are no different. This is precisely the kind of challenge where countries can learn from one another, including the rapid progress now being made across the Asia-Pacific region.

None of this is theory, and no one is doing it alone. The International Civil Aviation Organization is leading the development of the global framework for advanced air mobility, providing the common vision needed for states and the industry to evolve together. The industry is contributing through the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation's Complete Air Traffic System Global Council, which brings together more than 80 organizations to help shape the evolution of air traffic management.

Our CATS Concept of Operations describes how today's airspace can progressively evolve toward future skies — a seamless, increasingly digital, collaborative and automated ecosystem in which crewed and uncrewed aircraft operate safely together. Alongside the CONOPS, the CATS Global Council is developing practical guidance on automation, safety, change management, advanced air mobility and implementation support to help turn this vision into reality.

This is where I am optimistic. The ambition is there, the expertise is there, and the solutions are within reach. But technology alone will not deliver this future. Success will also depend on collaboration, thoughtful regulation, operational innovation and the people who will manage this transformation.

A lot of work lies ahead, but our industry can do it — and do it well. When we picture the low-altitude economy, let us not stop at the aircraft. The drones and the air taxis will continue to improve. Whether they become a safe and trusted part of everyday life will be determined by the airspace ecosystem beneath them. At CANSO, that is exactly what we are helping to build: the foundations for Future Skies, where every airspace user can operate safely, efficiently and sustainably. Get that right, and the sky becomes a safe new layer of transport for everyone.

The author is the former chair of the Network Management Board on behalf of the European Commission and is now the president and CEO of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.