Vigilant Aerospace Systems has launched FlightHorizon ALERT, a fully managed airspace awareness and alerting service designed for general aviation airports, critical infrastructure and other facilities seeking improved visibility into nearby aircraft and drone activity.

The service is intended to provide an affordable and easy-to-deploy solution for smaller airports and facilities. FlightHorizon ALERT uses a single receiver box to detect both aircraft and drones, displaying their locations on a 3D moving map through a web application. The system also sends text message or email alerts when nearby aircraft or drones are detected, with each notification including a link to an instant replay of the event on the 3D map.

All detected air traffic is logged, with the web application providing flight visualization, reporting and analysis tools. According to the company, the service is designed to improve airspace awareness without requiring constant monitoring or adding operational complexity.

"Many airports and facilities need better low-altitude airspace awareness, but they do not need another complex system that requires constant monitoring," said Kraettli L. Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace Systems. "FlightHorizon ALERT is designed to make aircraft and drone activity easier to detect, track and analyze with a managed service that can be deployed quickly."

The company said the platform is suited for monitoring low-altitude airspace around runways, approach surfaces, ramps, perimeters, restricted areas, industrial sites and other locations where unexpected aircraft or drone activity may require attention.

FlightHorizon ALERT builds on Vigilant Aerospace Systems' FlightHorizon airspace management deployments at the Infinity One Spaceport in western Oklahoma and Gorman Field in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The company said the new service applies those airspace awareness practices to airports and facilities of varying sizes.

The subscription-based service includes the hardware required to monitor aircraft and drones for a single monthly fee. Vigilant said the platform leverages software originally developed for the U.S. Air Force and incorporates two licensed NASA patents to provide detection, tracking, alerting and logging capabilities.

After installation and connection to power and internet, the system begins displaying air traffic in real time through a web browser and mobile phone while logging activity and issuing alerts. FlightHorizon ALERT tracks aircraft using ADS-B transponders and drones using Remote ID beacons, which are required on drones weighing more than 250 grams operated in the United States.

Each alert includes a secure replay link that allows users to review the event from its beginning. The replay shows where an aircraft or drone entered the alert zone, its speed, flight path and any beacon identification, helping facilities document events and determine whether follow-up is necessary. The company said this provides an alternative to relying solely on reports from pilots, personnel or the public.

The system is designed for plug-and-play deployment, with pre-configured hardware delivered for installation on a building or hangar. Vigilant assists customers with submitting the required FAA form for antenna installation. Sites without conventional internet access can use cellular or Starlink satellite connectivity, while larger facilities can deploy multiple nodes that feed data into a single account. The service is fully managed through Vigilant's central data center with automated software and service monitoring.