SafeSky EnterpriseNorwegian Peoples Aid: Drone and Helicopter Deconfliction in SAR Operations
How NPA solved terrain-induced signal blackouts in Norwegian fjords and valleys to maintain shared airspace awareness during search and rescue missions
A rescue team member monitors a digital map during a coordinated search and rescue operation. (Credit: Norwegian Peoples Aid)
About Norwegian Peoples Aid
Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) is a humanitarian organisation providing critical search and rescue services across Norway. In the rugged, unforgiving terrain of Norway, SAR operations are a race against time where every second counts. Drones have become an indispensable tool for NPA, providing critical aerial perspectives that ground teams cannot obtain on their own.
Industry:
Humanitarian search and rescue operations
Challenge:
Maintaining electronic visibility between drone operators and manned aircraft in mountainous terrain where conventional ground-based receivers are blocked by surrounding peaks and fjord walls
The Challenge
Operating drones alongside helicopters in Norway's mountainous landscape presents two compounding problems:
Lack of Electronic Visibility
Drone pilots had no reliable method to detect incoming low-flying aircraft, whilst helicopter and fixed-wing pilots had no way to electronically detect small drones operating nearby
Terrain-Induced Signal Blackouts
Conventional ground-based receivers require a clear line of sight. Deep within fjords and remote valleys, surrounding terrain blocks aviation signals entirely, creating dangerous blackout zones
Time-Critical Environment
SAR missions must deploy immediately with no time for lengthy coordination procedures. Every second of situational awareness loss during an active rescue operation is unacceptable
Shared Airspace Picture
Multiple stakeholders — drone pilots, helicopter crews, and ground coordinators — all needed a single, unified view of the airspace without relying on separate, incompatible systems
A Collaborative Solution with SafeSky
NPA initiated a collaboration with SafeSky, which is already a trusted cornerstone of Norwegian aviation safety. SafeSky is widely used across the country by the Norwegian Air Ambulance, the Norwegian Police Drone Unit, and the broader general aviation community. By adopting a platform already integrated into cockpits across the Norwegian aviation community, NPA ensures that their drone teams are speaking the same language as the pilots flying overhead.
How the System Works
The solution merges two live data streams into a single, unified airspace picture:
Drone Position Transmission
The drone's real-time position is transmitted from its control system directly to SafeSky servers. No additional hardware is required on the drone itself, keeping deployments lightweight and operationally agile.
Vehicle-Mounted Ground Station
A portable Avionix open-air multitrack receiver is deployed at the rescue scene, mounted on a vehicle. Its specific role is to capture signals transmitted by manned aircraft in the immediate vicinity — solving the terrain-induced blackout problem by placing the receiver exactly where it is needed.
A Shared Picture of the Airspace
The SafeSky platform acts as the central hub, receiving both the drone's position and the data captured by the ground station receiver. This unified picture is displayed for the drone pilot and is simultaneously visible to all other stakeholders using the SafeSky network — including the helicopter crews operating in the same valley.
A vehicle-mounted Avionix ground station receiver deployed at a rescue scene in mountainous terrain. The receiver captures manned aviation signals locally and feeds them into the SafeSky network via an internet connection, reducing terrain-induced signal blackouts within the operational area. (Credit: Norwegian Peoples Aid)
Results
By contributing drone position data into the SafeSky network, NPA is improving their own operational safety and contributing to a safer shared airspace for other emergency responders operating in the same area:
Blackout Zones Reduced
Portable vehicle-mounted receivers significantly reduce terrain-induced signal blackouts at the point of need, improving coverage in areas where SAR operations take place
Improved Situational Awareness
Drone pilots can see inbound manned aircraft within range. Helicopter crews have visibility of NPA drones. A shared common picture substantially reduces the prior information gap
Key Outcomes:
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