Aloft Partners with Pilot Institute on B4UFLY Replacement: Air Aware

Aloft Technologies, Inc., a leader in drone fleet and airspace management, today announces the launch of Air Aware, a groundbreaking advancement in airspace situational awareness. This innovative application effectively replaces the B4UFLY app, offering comprehensive real-time insights before, during, and after drone operations. As Aloft was founded on December 17th (the anniversary of powered flight by the Wright brothers in Kitty Hawk, NC), today is the perfect time to launch our latest product and prepare for the many new drone pilots we historically see join the Aloft platform right after the holidays.

“Airspace safety isn’t simply about the moments before takeoff anymore. With Air Aware, we’re redefining situational awareness to encompass the entire flight lifecycle,” said Jon Hegranes, Founder & CEO of Aloft. “This is the evolution of our commitment to advancing drone safety and our collective march to the true integration of drones into the national airspace system.”

Since 2019, when Aloft partnered with the FAA to power their B4UFLY application, Aloft has facilitated over 30 million airspace requests, and this expertise and scale are now encapsulated in the new Air Aware application. This next-generation tool is designed to provide unparalleled support to drone pilots, enhancing safety and compliance with dynamic, real-time data. We’ve included Aloft’s Notify & Fly capabilities, which have been used hundreds of thousands of times voluntarily by pilots to share their flight activity with their fellow airspace users and stakeholders.

Air Aware also integrates cutting-edge educational content in a strategic partnership with the Pilot Institute, an esteemed FAA-approved TRUST provider. This collaboration aims to elevate the knowledge and preparedness of drone pilots at all levels, and Aloft looks forward to expanding both the technical capabilities and educational content in Air Aware.

“Our partnership with Aloft on Air Aware will equip drone pilots with the knowledge and tools they need to fly safely,” said Greg Reverdiau, co-founder of Pilot Institute.

Highlighting Aloft’s commitment to innovation, Air Aware will be the focal point for future updates and developments, signaling the end of new updates by Aloft for the B4UFLY application. This shift ensures that users have access to the most advanced tools in the industry. Air Aware is not simply the next-generation replacement of B4UFLY, but it’s a platform that we want to evolve with the help of the Aloft and Pilot Institute communities. Below is a link to a survey to help us on that journey. We’d love your feedback and input for new features and the direction of Air Aware.

Fill out (and bookmark : ) this form at https://pilotinstitute.typeform.com/to/zC9Ad7BG

Available today!
You can download Air Aware from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store or use it on the web at https://airaware.aloft.ai.

About Pilot Institute:
Pilot Institute has trained over 250,000 drone and airplane pilots across the United States. Their goal is to bridge the gap between uncrewed and manned aviation and increase safety. Pilot Institute is an FAA Safety Team Industry Member and an FAA Authorized test administrator for The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).

About Aloft:
Aloft Technologies, Inc., founded in 2015, is at the forefront of drone fleet and airspace management. Powering over 80% of all drone airspace authorizations, Aloft’s patented dynamic airspace platform is integral to the Aloft UTM, establishing it as the #1 FAA-approved LAANC UAS Service Supplier (USS), which to date has powered over 1 million airspace authorizations. Aloft’s diverse user base and clientele spans recreational, commercial, government, law enforcement, and advanced air mobility sectors.

Air Aware is the latest edition to Aloft’s UTM platform that also includes Air Control – for advanced fleet, team, and airspace management, and Geo – for public safety and other verified agencies to publish safety and compliance information directly onto the Aloft airspace maps.

For more information, please contact pr@aloft.ai.

SHARE THIS CONTENT

Jon Hegranes - Aloft CEO

Jon is the Founder & CEO of Aloft, the market leader in drone airspace systems & UTM technologies. Aloft’s patented technology is used in today’s leading recreational, enterprise, and government drone applications.

Jon is a certified commercial drone pilot as part of FAA Part 107, the founder of the Drone Advisory Council, and is an active member of other industry groups, including GUTMA, NBAA Emerging Tech, the FAA’s Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC) and working groups, and is a founding member and data working group chair of the FAA Drone Safety Team. He’s a self-taught iOS developer, writes about drone topics for technology news outlets including VentureBeat, TechCrunch, and Forbes, and regularly speaks at industry events such as Commercial UAV Expo, 2B Ahead Future Congress, and DJI AirWorks. Jon graduated from TCU with a major in finance and received his MBA from Thunderbird Global School of Management (ASU). Jon has served on multiple FAA Advisory and Rulemaking Committees (ARCs), including drone detection, counter UAS, and Beyond Visual Line of Site (BVLOS).