In today’s increasingly crowded airspace, the traditional “see and avoid” principle is no longer sufficient, especially with the rise of drones and light aviation.
ADAC Luftrettung, REGA, Air-Glacier, the Swedish Maritime Helicopter Unit, Airlift and many more have adopted SafeSky to enhance their crews’ situational awareness and safety.
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See And Avoid is not enough, especially in lower airspace
For all pilots, the fundamental principle of "see and avoid" remains indispensable, even as it shows its limitations in an increasingly crowded airspace. With the constant rise in traffic, particularly due to the surge in drone operations and the rapid expansion of their professional applications, having a better overall picture has become a paramount necessity.
In 2025 alone, a collision in Méribel (France) between an aircraft (piloted by a professional pilot and instructor) and a paraglider resulted in two fatalities. The accident in Washington claimed nearly 70 lives. Moreover, social media is flooded with videos of airmiss incidents, sometimes intentional, between drones and airplanes.
Aware of this shortcoming, helicopter operators are striving to enhance their crews' situational awareness, whether for rescue helicopters or those dedicated to transport and surveillance in industrial areas.
To support helicopter needs, Safesky has been developing a software platform capable of aggregating traffic data from multiple sources (ADS-B, Flarm, ADS-L, Air Navigation PRO, EasyVFR, Gaggle, and around thirty other protocols, software and hardware) in real time, providing position of all these flying aircraft. This information helps reduce the risk of collisions and improves the quality of post-mission debriefings. Recently, EASA recorded approximately 200 airmiss incidents across Europe in 2023, while Safesky detected over 200 in just two months in the Netherlands, illustrating the growing importance of e-Conspicuity (the ability to see and be seen electronically).
How Major Helicopter fleet Integrate with SafeSky ?
Recognising the critical importance of e-Conspicuity, major helicopter fleet companies such as ADAC Luftrettung, REGA, Air-Glacier, the Swedish Maritime Helicopter Unit, Airlift have turned to Safesky to enhance flight safety.
These renowned operators have adopted different integration approaches:
ADAC Luftrettung in Germany has directly integrated Safesky’s data stream into its in-house navigation software.
REGA in Switzerlands has opted for the SafeSky PRO version, enabling centralised management of around 100 iPads used by about 20 helicopters and their ground teams.
The Maritime Helicoper Unit in Sweden has also opted for the SafeSky PRO to operate 7 AW139 rescue helicopters
Air-Glacier and Airlift employs the SafeSky data stream directly integrated into Air Navigation Pro navigation software
In addition to the SafeSky App, SafeSky is also compatible with major navigation software, such as SkyDemon, ForeFlight, EasyVFR, Air Navigation Pro and many more. This enables the display of all surrounding traffic directly on its map. It functions similarly to TCAS, but with an increased number of flying objects and without interfering with piloting decisions, which remain the sole responsibility of the pilot. The focus is on enhancing situational awareness, not collision avoidance.
Did you say Drone integration?
SafeSky also integrates more and more drone operators who recognise the critical importance of being both see and be seen by manned aviation. By integrating with SafeSky’s ecosystem, operators such as Aviant, the Norwegian Police, Naviation, HemsWX, DroneMatrix, Rovensen and many more are seamlessly sharing real-time telemetry data, enhancing situational awareness and reducing collision risks between manned and unmanned aircraft.
A recent groundbreaking collaboration with SkeyDrone in Belgium has even incorporated non-cooperative drone traffic into SafeSky’s platform. This advancement significantly enhances situational awareness for helicopter pilots operating in complex environments.
To a Safer Sky for Helicopter Fleets
In an era where the airspace is more complex than ever, helicopter operators can no longer rely solely on See And Avoir and traditional traffic awareness tools.
SafeSky offers a modern and flexible solution designed specifically to meet the operational realities of low-altitude traffic, characterised by a diversity of uncertified aircraft. Whether through seamless integration with cockpit navigation systems or robust fleet-wide management via SafeSky PRO, helicopter fleets gain enhanced real-time traffic visibility complementary to their existing traditional onboard surveillance systems.
By integrating with the SafeSky ecosystem, your helicopter fleet becomes visible to new airspace users: drones and other manned aircraft. This provides a dual safety benefit and significantly enhances conspicuity for all airspace users in the vicinity.