DesignAir: The airspace design tool helping transform UK skies

To keep up with growing demand for air travel, a major programme is in progress to upgrade the UK’s airspace infrastructure. Airspace modernisation aims to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and capacity and harness the latest technologies – both on the ground and in the air.

This is the first time since the 1950s that changes to the routes that aircraft fly are being made on this scale. Major progress has already been made – including the implementation of Free Route Airspace in Scotland and the modernisation of airspace above 7,000ft in the southwest of the UK – but it’s no small task. The process of redesigning UK skies has been aided by DesignAir, a state of the art, proprietary software built in-house by NATS. Launched in 2018 for internal and commercial use, the software supports the design, testing and analysis of airspace structures, helping the design team to accelerate the assessment of new routes. For upgrading UK airspace, which is some of the busiest and most complex in the world, it is a highly valuable tool.

Previously, airspace design relied on disparate tools and teams and a manual, time-consuming process. Designs were managed using a range of documents containing extensive tables of waypoints and route options. New route maps were created using Google Earth or drawn over existing charts pinned up on the walls of the airspace design team’s office. Each iteration would take weeks to complete, requiring a huge range of expertise. Forecasting the benefits of a proposed change with the analytics team or producing radar maps for simulations was similarly limited, with lead times for rejecting or validating a new concept potentially taking months.

Paper-based airspace design work c.2011.

DesignAir has transformed this once highly manual task into a streamlined, automated process. The software has enabled the team to assess and export airspace designs in a fraction of the time, without the same reliance on other teams or long turnaround times. Outputs that once took weeks or months can now produce a useful output in a matter of hours.

NATS’ airspace design team uses the software to develop and assess new concepts, overlaying potential new routes with real flight data to analyse feasibility. With real-world traffic used to simulate the new design, DesignAir aids modelling and impact analysis work, enabling the team to assess how key metrics which form a vital part of any airspace change – such as emissions outputs – would be affected by a proposed new route structure.

Example of DesignAir.

Each airspace redesign involves rigorous testing and input from a wide range of specialists. From internal stakeholders like air traffic controllers, safety assurance experts, and engineers, to external stakeholders such as airports, DesignAir makes it easier and faster to visualise new airspace concepts and collaborate with a range of stakeholders. The ability to quickly progress or rule out a design is an essential early step and the new developments offered by DesignAir help streamline the entire design process.

DesignAir is critical to the airspace modernisation process, enabling faster assessment, refinement and decision making during the design phase. With each update to the software, NATS embeds new technical capabilities, making it ever more effective.

With over 2.4 million flights passing through UK skies each year – a number expected to rise to 3 million by 2030 – the need for a more efficient, sustainable airspace is clear. Matching that rate of growth and harnessing new technologies is critical.

Modernising airspace demands modern tools – DesignAir is an essential part of NATS’ commitment to building a more efficient airspace for all.