Shaping a safe and efficient integrated airspace for the future

With the accelerating growth of the uncrewed and advanced air mobility sectors, the global aviation landscape is poised for significant change. More and more new and diverse airspace users are lining up for access to our skies, supported by a multitude of air traffic service providers.

The NATS OpenAir proposition is our response to the challenge of meeting increased future demand for access to our skies from a variety of new users by creating a safe and efficient integrated airspace that is open to all crewed and uncrewed aircraft on a fair and equitable basis.

We are working hard to develop a new suite of network management services that could pave the way to safe and seamless airspace integration by collating and distributing real-time, accurate, reliable and comprehensive aeronautical data to the wide range of air traffic service providers who would be OpenAir customers.

The CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy already identifies system-wide information management (SWIM) for lower airspace as a critical enabler of airspace integration. Our OpenAir proposals are our response to this requirement, intended to create a UK-wide digital data backbone that would accelerate the transition to UK airspace integration wherever there is demand.

So far, our proposals for OpenAir have been shaped by working with industry and a wide range of other stakeholders to design an integrated aeronautical and network management entity that would meet the needs of all users, new and existing.

Building on our work so far, through this consultation we would now like to hear from you to ensure we fully understand your point of view, including your opinions on the OpenAir service offering we propose, on the best mechanism through which to apply a charging structure, and on what you might need from an integrated airspace traffic management system of the future. Your input will contribute to the detailed NATS OpenAir proposal we are preparing to submit to the CAA in June 2025.

To that end, please submit your written responses by 31 January 2025 using the online answer form and giving as much detail as possible on the questions you feel are most relevant to you. You do not need to answer all the questions, only those that apply to you or about which you would like to share an opinion.

Thank you!