Originally Posted by
Neo380
Let’s be clear, NATS has no software development competence and little competence in what is now understood to be hardware.
I agree there is no real market for disrupters with NATS controlling a cosy market of incumbents.
Distributed technology doesn’t (just) mean having multiple ‘servers’ it means open sourcing capability and removing the barriers to entry that are currently so firmly in place.
NATS with its billions of turnover is relying on the innovators NOT being able to solve its problems - that’s the fundamental issue with a monopoly.
I agree, NATS decided a long time ago to shut down it's software development department and also has little or no expertise in modern hardware. It decided to rely on "partners" to provide those areas of expertise. That probably wasn't wise, expecting your suppliers to fulfill your "intelligent customer" role requires a lot of trust that few suppliers, in my experience, deserve.
I think NATS partners are relying on there being no innovators. NATS long ago gave up any ability other than choosing it's partners from a list with little choice.
I'm intrigued as to how this open source idea works. I can see how a third party might develop a UAS product that you might be able to ring fence to particular airspace but I can't see how you could extend that to the mainstream ATC system. I've seen the horror across the industry at the thought of putting stuff on the cloud, mostly unfounded I'd add, so that would be way out of the comfort zone of both ANSPs & their airline customers.