The sixth annual World ATM Congress held recently in Spain attracted over 8,500 registrants and 237 exhibitors from 136 countries and territories for three days of business.

World ATM Congress, the world's largest air traffic management (ATM) exhibition, this year saw contracts signed across a multitude of areas including training, modernisation of air control centres and towers, and provision of new ATM systems. Industry suppliers and air navigation service providers struck a number of agreements and partnerships. More CEOs, directors general, and senior decision-makers attended than ever before.

The conference of World ATM Congress attracted top speakers, including Íñigo de la Serna Hernáiz, Spain's Minister of Public Works and Transport; Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); and Eamonn Brennan, director general, EuroControl.

The conference examined the impact of autonomous aircraft on ATM, such as those that provide internet access and transport goods and people. The programme also explored the changing face of ATM partnerships and alliances with the increasing liberalisation and commercialisation of air traffic services, and included updates from Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

A multitude of events took place, including the Jane's ATC Awards 2018 and a Guinness World Records' attempt to launch the most paper aeroplanes across time zones in coordination with Women of Aviation Worldwide Week.

Including the conference, six theatres featured over 100 sessions, including panel discussions, technical presentations, and product demonstrations and launches, from over 200 leading aviation experts from industry, government, labour, and educational institutions. As always, World ATM Congress highlighted the newest technology in the field. There was a focus this year on new entrants to airspace, such as drones and commercial space vehicles, as well as on automation, digitisation, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) traffic management (UTM), and remote air traffic control towers.

World ATM Congress is operated by the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) in partnership with the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), with support from platinum sponsors Indra, Leonardo, and Thales. - TradeArabia News Service