Fly Now: Why Active Visibility in Airspace Is Critical
Drone traffic is steadily increasing—both for private and professional use. This also raises the bar for safety, coordination, and transparency in airspace.
TraX is a modern drone app that addresses exactly this need: In addition to flight planning and validation, the active visibility of drone flights is becoming increasingly important.
A key feature here is the "Fly Now" button.
What is the "Fly Now" button?
The "Fly Now" button is a feature in the TraX app that allows drone pilots to display their current flight in real time.
This means:
- Your flight path is displayed in the digital airspace
- Other users can tell that a drone is active there
- The shared situational awareness in airspace is being improved
At its core, the feature follows a simple principle:
See and be seen.
Why visibility in airspace is so important
- Drones must give wayto manned aircraft:
As a general rule, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) must give wayto manned aircraft. Manned aircraft pose a high safety risk and therefore generally have the “right of way” in air traffic to prevent collisions. To ensure that drone pilots can fulfill this requirement, they need as much information as possible about the airspace—and at the same time, they must be visible themselves.
- Airspace is becoming more complex
More and more drones and aircraft are sharing the same airspace. Simply assuming “out of sight, out of mind” is no longer enough.
- Situational Awareness Becomes the Standard
Today, professional drone operations rely on a comprehensive picture of the airspace, which ideally includes both manned and unmanned aircraft movements.
How does “Fly Now” work in practice?
We've kept it simple on purpose:
- Enable location
- Turn on "Fly Now"
- Your flight section is now visible
The big advantage: No additional hardwareis needed, and no complex setup is required.
This makes visibility accessible to all drone pilots for the first time—from hobbyists to professional users.
In the following YouTube video, we explain in detail how the "Fly Now" button works:
Specific benefits of TraX for drone pilots
Greater Safety During Drone Flights
Others can see that a flight is taking place—this reduces potential conflicts in airspace.
A Better Basis for Decision-Making
Combined with real-time air traffic data, TraX shows what is currently happening in the airspace, enabling informed decisions before and during the flight.
Transparency for all stakeholders
A visible flight zone contributes to better mutual understanding between:
- Drone pilots
- other airspace users
- Government agencies and organizations
Support for professional applications
A clear picture of the situation is essential, especially for commercial applications (inspection, surveying, public safety).
“Fly Now” in the Context of Modern UTM Systems
Features such as “Fly Now” help make drone flights visible in airspace, thereby supporting the fundamental principles of modern UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) systems. These systems aim to establish a shared situational awareness in airspace and improve coordination among different airspace users.
Making drone flights actively visible increases transparency and lays the groundwork for safer coexistence in an airspace that is being used more and more.
What's the difference from traditional flight tracking apps?
Many flight-tracking apps rely primarily on individual data sources such as ADS-B.
TraX goes a step further and combines multiple sources to generate the most comprehensive picture of the situation possible.
This is supplemented by:
- Active Visibility (Fly Now)
- Drone-specific information
- Verification of flight options
Result: More relevant information for drone pilots
Typical use cases for the "Fly Now" button
The "Fly Now" button is particularly useful for:
- Urban drone flights
- Inspections and Construction Sites
- Operations in mixed airspace
- Film and Photo Productions
- BOS and government operations
Conclusion: Visibility is the next step in drone flight
The drone market continues to evolve—and with it, the demands for safety and transparency.
The “Fly Now” button is more than just a feature:
It is a step toward a coordinated and safe airspace for everyone involved.
TraX combines three key elements:
- Flight validation
- Air situation
- active visibility
The app helps drone pilots fly more safely, more knowledgeably, and more responsibly.
