One Airspace, Shared Safely: A DIAS Perspective on BVLOS and Helicopter Operations in Switzerland

The recent NZZ am Sonntag article on the expansion of BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) drone operations in Switzerland raises an important question: how do we safely integrate a growing number of crewed and uncrewed aircraft into the same airspace?

The concerns expressed by helicopter operators should be taken seriously. Switzerland has particularly complex airspace, with intensive low-level helicopter operations, challenging terrain and an expanding number of professional drone operations.

At DIAS (Switzerland’s leading drone industry association), however, we do not believe this should become a debate about drones versus helicopters.

Both have an important role in the future of Swiss aviation. The challenge is to ensure that they can operate safely alongside each other.

The safety challenge goes both ways

The NZZ article highlights one of the central challenges in today’s airspace.

According to figures provided by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA/BAZL), around 72% of Swiss helicopters have one or more onboard systems transmitting their position, rising to 86% among professional operators. This means that a proportion of crewed aviation cannot currently be reliably detected electronically by other airspace users.

At the same time, drones have clear responsibilities. Crewed aviation has priority and professional BVLOS operations require appropriate authorisation, risk assessment and mitigation procedures.

The example of Jedsy in the article demonstrates the increasingly sophisticated technology being deployed by professional drone operators. Its aircraft combine optical systems, three separate mobile networks, ADS-B and FLARM receivers (equipment to signal position and intent), together with information from additional airspace management services.

No individual technology removes every risk. But combining multiple systems and sources of information demonstrates the direction in which modern aviation is moving. Professional drone operators seek to uphold the same standards of diligence as manned aviation and to adopt its mature safety culture.

And importantly, this development is not confined to the drone industry.

Traditional helicopter operators are themselves exploring how drones can complement their existing operations. Air Zermatt, for example, is working with Dufour Aerospace on a three-year programme examining drone applications for logistics, terrain analysis and rescue operations, while also specifically studying how helicopters and drones can safely share the same airspace. Rega is similarly developing autonomous search drones for missions where weather conditions may prevent the deployment of a crewed rescue helicopter.

This illustrates an important point: the future is unlikely to be helicopters or drones. It will increasingly be helicopters and drones.

Electronic visibility should become the common language of Swiss airspace.

For decades, aviation has relied heavily on the principle of “see and avoid”.

That principle remains important. But as Swiss airspace becomes more diverse and increasingly digital, visual detection alone cannot provide the foundation for every future operation.

The objective should increasingly be to share flight information digitally.

FOCA has already recognised this through its FASST-CH programme, which is developing an electronic-conspicuity ecosystem for Swiss aviation. The planned approach combines interoperable technologies and ground infrastructure so that airspace participants can exchange traffic information.

This is important not only for drones.

Improved electronic visibility can increase situational awareness for helicopter crews, general aviation and unmanned aircraft alike.

Switzerland’s direction of travel is therefore encouraging. The NZZ article reports that the federal government intends to introduce electronic visibility requirements across Swiss aviation, with the objective that all aircraft are electronically detectable by 2028.

BVLOS is becoming part of Swiss aviation

BVLOS operations are no longer experimental activities undertaken by a handful of start-ups.

The NZZ article reports that Swisscom, a member of DIAS, has already completed approximately 6’000 BVLOS operations over the last two years and is conducting validation flights as it works towards broader approval for automated drone operations. Its longer-term plans envisage a network of 300 drone stations across Switzerland.

Axpo (an energy company) is already using BVLOS drones to inspect infrastructure, while police forces, fire services and other public organisations are increasingly using unmanned aircraft.

These applications can provide significant benefits: inspecting critical infrastructure, monitoring and mapping the environment, transporting urgent goods, supporting emergency services and carrying out missions without unnecessarily putting people at risk.

The question is therefore increasingly not whether BVLOS operations will form part of Swiss aviation, but how they can be integrated safely and at scale.

Safety and innovation must develop together

Where regulators identify unacceptable risks, appropriate mitigation is necessary.

At the same time, the long-term solution cannot be to preserve today’s operating environment by preventing new airspace users from scaling. Nor should existing aviation be subjected to disproportionate requirements simply to accommodate new technology.

Instead, we should address the underlying reason for the conflict: airspace users do not yet have a complete and interoperable picture of one another.

That means continuing to develop electronic conspicuity, reliable airspace information, detect-and-avoid capabilities and proportionate, risk-based regulation.

It also means cooperation, informing and educating.

The helicopter industry, represented by SHA (Swiss Helicopter Association) brings decades of experience operating safely in some of Switzerland’s most challenging environments. The drone industry brings new sustainable technologies and increasingly sophisticated ways of understanding and managing airspace digitally.

Those capabilities should complement one another.

One airspace, shared safely

DIAS believes the current discussion is an opportunity to bring the different parts of Swiss aviation closer together.

We support continued dialogue between FOCA, SHA , DIAS and other airspace stakeholders around the safe integration of BVLOS operations and the implementation of interoperable electronic conspicuity.

Our position is straightforward:

Switzerland should not have to choose between helicopters and drones. The objective should be a digitally integrated airspace in which all participants are electronically visible and can operate safely together. DIAS supports proportionate, safety-led BVLOS regulation and the rapid implementation of interoperable electronic conspicuity across Swiss aviation.

Switzerland has a strong aviation tradition and one of Europe’s most innovative drone ecosystems. These are not competing strengths, these are opportunities.

The future of Swiss aviation will include manned and unmanned. Making sure the airspace is safely shared is the task of all aviation stakeholders.

DIAS – Drone Industry Association Switzerland