In the UK, approximately 7,000 aircraft fly daily. The National Air Traffic Service (NATS) manages these flights by maintaining a complex network of routes, crucial for the safe operation of all airspace users including leisure, commercial, cargo, and military aircraft.

The work of NATS is crucial not only for the aerospace industry but also for developers and construction firms, particularly those working on wind farms. These projects can disrupt the electronic systems essential for air traffic control, highlighting the need for careful planning and awareness when building in their radius.

In addition, developers completing projects at height also need to be aware of the constraints they may face when building in proximity to these installations.

To assist developers in mitigating these issues, NATS offers self-assessment maps, that provide detailed but not exhaustive geographical information about where their projects might interfere with air traffic infrastructure. 

While this information is often difficult to view diagrammatically as it is statistical in nature, we’ve made it as accessible as possible with our NATS tool.

‍National Air Traffic Service (NATS) tool

This tool offers a range of detailed visual layers, enabling users to easily determine if their proposed projects fall within safeguarded areas or radar coverage zones. They include:

Primary Surveillance Radar - detailing Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) cover from 20m to 200m.

Secondary Surveillance Radars - showing 15nm (~28km) circles representing safeguarded zones around Secondary Surveillance radars (SSR). It also shows the safeguarded zones for the height monitoring unit (HMU).

Air-Ground-Air communication sites - showing 10km circles representing safeguarded zones around Air-Ground-Air communication sites (AGA).

En-route navigation aids - showing 10km circles representing safeguarded zones around En-route navigation aids.

With growing competition in the renewable energy sector, accessing accurate data at the right moment can give you a competitive edge in site selection. Discover how Searchland can assist you by scheduling a personalised demo with us.

*These layers are only available to users with a Professional license. To learn more or upgrade your account get in touch!