The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA), in collaboration with the Crisis Information Center of the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN), is developing a system designed to ensure the safe coordination of manned and unmanned aircraft flights. This initiative is a top priority due to the growing number of drones—used by both civilian operators and emergency services—operating in Polish airspace. The system will leverage both expert knowledge and IT solutions to support their work.
“As we see an increasing number of drones and more systems delivering information—some of which will soon perform tasks automatically—we need a system for flight coordination, for designating no-fly zones for non-participating civilian traffic, and for managing coordination between manned and unmanned aircraft,”
says Dr. Jakub Ryzenko, Head of the Crisis Information Center at CBK PAN, in an interview with Newseria.
Earlier this year, an incident in Los Angeles saw a firefighting airplane involved in extinguishing a blaze in Palisades struck by a drone. The collision occurred despite a ban on drone flights in the affected firefighting zone. Incidents like this highlight the need for coordinated air traffic management systems that also include drones.
“The challenge lies in ensuring manned and unmanned aircraft can operate together and safely, so we can truly benefit from the capabilities of both. Right now, in many countries, if manned aircraft are flying, drones must land. But during the floods in Poland in September, we demonstrated that it’s possible to have **helicopters and multiple types of drones operating in the air simultaneously in a coordinated manner,”
notes Dr. Ryzenko.
During last year’s flood, PANSA deployed teams of drone operators and specialized drones for the rescue operation. These were used for monitoring levees and rivers, and for capturing aerial imagery essential for later damage assessment.
“In one example, a drone provided lighting for the operation area, while a helicopter was reinforcing a levee by transporting sandbags, and an unmanned aircraft flew overhead, streaming video. This is aviation being used exactly as it should be—safely and effectively,”
adds Dr. Ryzenko.
To enable such effective coordination between manned and unmanned flights, clear procedures and structured coordination mechanisms must be implemented. PANSA and CBK PAN, in cooperation with the State Fire Service, have launched efforts to develop and validate an innovative model for safe, effective flight coordination during crisis situations. This model introduces new operational roles: an Air Operations Director (KOL) and a Flight Coordinator (KL), supported by a dedicated IT system.
“This model involves a person dedicated to coordination, supported by aviation safety officers—someone who may have flight experience—and assisted by an app that helps communicate with pilots. This ensures that pilots in the field are aware of what’s happening around them—who is flying nearby, who might be overhead shortly. With that knowledge, a pilot can adjust their operations to ensure safety,”
explains Dr. Ryzenko.
Ensuring the effective use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a key objective aligned with Poland’s civil protection policy, especially in light of the growing number of drones used by the State Fire Service and other emergency response and crisis management agencies.
