Altitude Angel, the UK company behind Drone Assist, GuardianUTM and the Skyway “drone superhighway” work, entered administration on 7 October 2025. FRP Advisory’s Andy John and Geoff Rowley are the joint administrators. Services tied to Altitude Angel may see disruption while options are explored. 

This is a formal UK insolvency process intended to protect value while administrators assess options (sale, restructure, or wind-down).

Industry outlets and community forums have had lots to say about the announcement and its significance for UK drone operations and digital airspace management. 

Why This Matters

Altitude Angel has been a central player in UK UTM (uncrewed traffic management):

  • Drone Assist: the popular app used by UK pilots to plan flights, check NOTAMs and restrictions, and file flight plans. It’s been a go-to “preflight” touchpoint for hobbyists and commercial operators alike.
  • GuardianUTM & Flight Approval Services: the digital backbone for authorisations at airports and other controlled environments, including deployments in partnership with NATS Services. The platform was adopted or trialed with airports and ANSP-adjacent services to digitalise flight requests and approvals, improving situational awareness and reducing manual workflows.
  • ARROW & Project Skyway: the sensor-led detection network and a 165-mile “drone superhighway” corridor project enabling routine BVLOS concepts.

With the company in administration, pilots, airports, and third-party integrators are watching for continuity guidance—especially where authorisation workflows and live data feeds depend on Altitude Angel’s stack. Trade coverage has already flagged potential service impacts. 

What’s Affected Right Now?

  • Drone Assist (app and web tools): Some users have reported outages or removal soon after the administration notice. Availability may fluctuate while administrators assess the service estate.
  • GuardianUTM deployments: Airport and site-specific integrations using Altitude Angel’s approval services could experience delays or changes depending on hosting, contracts, and contingency plans. NATS-related roll-outs may be reviewed in light of the current situation.
  • International tie-ins (e.g., Netherlands “GoDrone”): European uses of Altitude Angel technology via partners (AirHub/LVNL pilots and demonstrations) are being watched for knock-on effects.

What Pilots Can Do Today

1) Start with Official Sources

Use the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s published resources and any approved alternative apps while you verify Drone Assist availability. These official pages list airspace data links and planning guidance that do not depend on a single private provider.

2) Double-check Authorisation Routes

If you usually submit requests through a GuardianUTM interface at a particular site or airport, look for local notices or airport website updates. Some operators may publish interim instructions while the administrators evaluate platform continuity. (Industry coverage is tracking updates; keep an eye on those briefings.)

3) Keep Redundancy in Your Workflow

Build a backup routine using NOTAMs, AIP, local procedures, and alternate planning tools until there’s an official statement on service stability or a new operator steps in. Community forums provide near-real-time observations of app behaviour, but always anchor decisions on official publications. 

Could Services Be Sold or Rescued?

Administration does not always mean a shutdown. The administrators can seek:

  • A buyer for all or part of the business
  • New funding or a managed transition of key services
  • Orderly wind-down if neither is viable

Altitude Angel’s assets include software platforms (GuardianUTM), infrastructure concepts (ARROW), brand value around Drone Assist, and recent IP (U.S. patent)—all potentially attractive to industry players. 

Wider Industry Context

The administration news lands after years of public-private trials to make routine BVLOS credible in the UK. Partnerships with NATS Services, SESAR-aligned demonstrations, and the Skyway showcase suggested momentum. That’s why this step has drawn so much attention: it raises practical questions about who maintains the digital plumbing many operators have come to expect. 

What We’re Watching Next

  • Administrator updates on service continuity and any sale process. 
  • Airport notices about flight approval workflows previously handled through GuardianUTM.
  • Partner statements from organisations tied to ARROW/Skyway demos and airport deployments.

Altitude Angel’s move into administration is a big moment for UK drone operations because of how deeply its tools were woven into daily planning and authorisations. Keep flying safely and legally by checking official sources first, and watch for clarity from the administrators on what stays live, what’s paused, and what might continue under new ownership.