Page 44 - World Airnews Magazine December 2020

DRONES

DRONES IN MALTA

rones in Malta will now be regu-
Dlated via a new portal that Trans-

port Malta aviation specialists developed
together IDRONECT.
The portal aims to regulate a sector
that is growing very fast and has created
some headaches for the local authorities in

recent months.
In a presentation by Transport Malta -

civil aviation directorate official Dr Analiza

Abdilla it was revealed how the authority
divided operators into three categories : a.)
OPEN b.) SPECIFIC and c.) CERTIFIED based
on the risk they pose.
For enforcement purposes, each operator

will have a QR code affixed to each drone. ers, updated weather information, as well as above ground level. Besides traffic decon-

Dr Abdilla was asked about how the no fly zones which besides the airport include fliction, the TM IDRONECT system will also

authority intends to enforce the limitations a number of other sensitive zones, including allow for real-time monitoring by operator

imposed. She was quick to quip that TM-CAD the prison, embassies and also military areas. and authority. The flight parametres will be

is adopting EASA standards in this regard and Each flight will be issued with a flight plan. recorded and can be replayed at any time.

wants to make sure there is no cowboy flying. Dr Analiza Abdilla explained during her More so if a breach is detected a notifica-

The system has been divided into three presentation that in the OPEN category, tion in-app and by SMS will be sent.

simple steps - PREPARE - APPROVE - FLY. The the issuance of a flight plan is automatic, The website to register your drone is
new TM-IDRONECT portal will also give its us- as these are restricted to 60 metres height tmcad.idronect.com Q
AIRCRAFT
TU-160M2 BLACKJACK
TAKES FIRST FLIGHT
he Russian Tu-160M2 Blackjack,
Ta supersonic variable-sweep
wing heavy strategic bomber, completed

its first flight with new serial NK-32-02

turbofan engines at Kazan Aviation Plant

SP Gorbunov, United Aircraft Corporation

(UAC) announced recently in a tweet.
According to UAC, the flight lasted two

hours and 20 minutes at an altitude of

6,000 metres and was led by Anri Naskidy-
ats, whose crew piloted the mission.

During the flight, the necessary checks
were performed on the updated general

aircraft systems and on-board electron- powerful turbofan jet engines ever fitted It is also the world’s heaviest combat

ic equipment installed as part of a deep on a combat aircraft by The Diplomat aircraft with the highest gross take-off

modernization of the aircraft, as well as in 2017 when the upgrade was first an- weight among bombers. The aircraft first

the performance of the new NK-32 se- nounced. UEC said the engines will allow flew in Dec. 1981. The Russian Ministry

ries 02 engine, developed and manufac- longer-range flights. of Defence announced the full moderni-

tured by the United Engine Corporation The Tu-160, unofficially named the sation of the Tu-160 fleet in 2017 after

[UEC],” the UAC said. White Swan, is historic in military avi- resuming manufacturing in 2015.

The NK-32-02 turbofan engines were ation being the largest supersonic and The Tu-160 is part of Russia’s nuclear

reported to be the largest and most variable geometry-wing aircraft. triad. Q
World Airnews | December 2020
— 42 —