Clearing the Path to BVLOS at Scale: High Lander and Thirdeye Bring Multi-Aircraft Detect-and-Avoid to the Field

Across the world, lower-level airspace operates under visual flight rules, where many crewed aircraft fly without continuous air traffic control or a filed plan for every movement. Within that framework, separation depends on a single principle: pilots see one another and keep their distance.

This approach has long served crewed aviation, yet it carries inherent risk and is difficult to monitor or enforce for traffic that is not actively tracked. That reliance on the human eye is also what has made beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flight so hard for regulators to approve, because an uncrewed aircraft has no pilot in the cockpit to see and be seen. A ground-based detect and avoid (DAA) capability changes that equation. By giving the airspace a reliable way to sense traffic and keep aircraft apart, it opens the door to BVLOS at scale, and it is what makes the work now underway between High Lander and Thirdeye Systems a turning point rather than another incremental step.

The partnership between the two companies is built to be the engine for the future of BVLOS. Lower airspace is becoming increasingly congested, yet the mechanisms for preventing mid-air conflicts remain bound to traditional, aircraft-heavy hardware models.

Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding, High Lander and Thirdeye Systems have launched their first field program, deploying a multi-aircraft, ground-based DAA capability that shows how BVLOS flight can move from case-by-case approvals to routine operations at scale.

The trial’s purpose is to assess Thirdeye’s autonomous optical system as a complement to, and potentialy an alternative to, the human observer, and to understand where the system fits within the wider operational ecosystem.

From the human observer to autonomous detection Drones operated by Dronery and a helicopter operated by Brook Aviation flew a series of separate passes so the system’s detection could be measured against that of a ground observer. The passes covered demanding conditions: aircraft above and below the horizon, targets seen against open sky and against terrain, approaches from the direction of the sun, and varied lighting. A controled approach scenario between the helicopter and the drones then examined whether the system can flag a developing conflict in time to matter. The long-term value of this program does not rest on standalone target detection.

The broader strategic objective is validating how real-time optical tracking data can be ingested, processed, and utilized inside a centralized, multi-operator traffic environment. High Lander serves as the architectural link connecting the physical sensor layer to the digital airspace management ecosystem.

“BVLOS operations are the future of aviation, opening up new possibilities for business, public safety, security, and defense,” said Alon Abelson, CEO and co-founder of High Lander. “Getting there requires more than just tracking; it requires total airspace clarity. By bridging the gap between traffic management and sophisticated optical detection, we are giving the industry the transparency and safety standards the next era of aviation depends on.” From optical detection to a common operating picture Ground-based DAA sensors offer a scalable alternative to individual aircraft hardware.

By distributing autonomous sensors across recurring routes, strategic corridors, and high-density operational zones, multiple operators can utilize a single, shared survei lance layer. “Persistent ground-based observation addresses a critical vulnerability in lower-airspace awareness, particularly regarding non-cooperative traffic,” said Lior Segal, CEO of Thirdeye Systems. “Our automated sensing technology is designed to deliver consistent tracking data without reliance on onboard aircraft transponders.

This field trial program establishes a concrete baseline for how ground-based optical radar can safely support uncrewed flight paths and integrated traffic frameworks.” Thirdeye Systems provides the automated optical layer through its MeduzaX passive optical radar system, utilizing edge computing to process raw environmental data without latency. Detection on its own is only the starting point; operational value comes from turning that raw sensor data into a clear, shared air picture a control room can act on.

The MeduzaX feed integrates directly into High Lander’s Vega UTM platform, which aggregates inputs from detection and counter-UAS technologies into a single command and control view. That gives operators the situational awareness they need and enables IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so authorized flights can be separated from unknown traffic at a glance. Paired with an autonomous detection source, this is what lets deconfliction happen reliably enough to support BVLOS at scale. By cross-referencing live optical detection tracks with active flight plans managed by the Orion drone fleet management platform, the system establishes a clear, common operating picture. Authorized, cooperative uncrewed aircraft are immediately identified as friend or blue targets, while uncoordinated, non-cooperative, or unauthorized aircraft are displayed as red targets. This automated differentiation allows airspace managers to identify potential risks instantly, optimizing security for high-density facilities, airports, and urban drone corridors.

What comes next The trial reflects a wider change in how BVLOS is being approached. Rather than treating each flight as an exception to be argued for, operators and regulators are working toward permanent infrastructure that makes routine autonomous flight possible. High Lander’s role in that shift is as a partner built to automate and scale, connecting detection, identification, and airspace management into one operational layer that drone programs can grow on. High Lander and Thirdeye intend to continue evaluating the system across further conditions and use cases.

About High Lander High Lander was established in 2018 by aviation veterans and technology experts to enable a fuly integrated sky where crewed and uncrewed aircraft operate in harmony. The company provides two scalable, software-only solutions: Orion DFM, a hardware-agnostic drone fleet management platform, and Vega UTM, a next-generation traffic management platform that supplies the infrastructure needed for safe, unified aviation. About ThirdEye Systems ThirdEye Systems is a leading company specializing in the development of advanced Al-based EO\IR systems for the security, HLS, and defense sectors. Focusing on optical detection and tracking for counter-UAV applications, ThirdEye provides cutting-edge tools for protecting strategic assets and national borders. Its MeduzaX system is currently operational and active with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).