An air surveillance and sense-and-avoid system for unmanned aerial systems operating in the United States has been launched been launched by Exelis.

Exelis says its Symphony RangeVue tool gives UAS operators real-time Federal Aviation Administration surveillance data, flexible background maps and weather information for enhanced safety.

The surveillance information is accessed through a Web-hosted platform and geo-fencing tools alert operators when a UAS approaches airspace boundaries or when other aircraft are in the vicinity.

The system combines a high-performance visualization engine with the network of Exelis NextGen surveillance data, including FAA's surveillance systems; automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast; en-route radar; terminal radar; airport surface detection equipment-X; and airport surface surveillance capability, the company said.

"For the first time, UAS operators and test range personnel will have the same situational awareness currently available to general aviation pilots through traffic information broadcast services," said Ed Sayadian, vice president of Civil and Aerospace Solutions for Exelis. "This capability is available without having to install avionics surveillance equipment on the UAS aircraft.

"Leveraging the FAA's own surveillance data combined with advanced sense-and-avoid alerting capabilities, Symphony RangeVue will significantly increase the safety of UAS operations."