Vigilant Aerospace Launches FlightHorizon ALERT Service

Vigilant Aerospace Systems launched a fully managed airspace awareness system on July 28, 2026, designed to provide general aviation airports and critical infrastructure with automated detection of both crewed Commercial-Aircraft and uncrewed aerial systems.

The service, branded as FlightHorizon ALERT, aims to lower the barrier to entry for smaller facilities by eliminating the need for complex radar installations or continuous manual monitoring. According to a company press release, the system utilizes a single receiver box to track aircraft transponders and drone beacons, sending automated text and email alerts to facility operators.

Technology and deployment architecture

The software architecture underpinning FlightHorizon ALERT is based on two licensed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) patents and was originally developed by Vigilant Aerospace for the United States Air Force (USAF). The system tracks Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) signals from traditional aircraft alongside Remote ID broadcasts from Drones. Under current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, drones flown in the United States weighing more than 250 grams must broadcast these Remote ID beacons.

Vigilant Aerospace Systems CEO Kraettli L. Epperson stated that the product addresses a specific market gap for facilities requiring low-altitude monitoring without heavy infrastructure.

“Many Airports and facilities need better low-altitude airspace awareness, but they do not need another complex system that requires constant monitoring. 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.”

Regulatory readiness and prior installations

The commercial launch follows earlier deployments of the broader FlightHorizon airspace management system at the Infinity One Spaceport in western Oklahoma and Gorman Field in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The company released an explainer video detailing the setup process on July 27, 2026, one day prior to the official launch.

Vigilant Aerospace positions the new alerting service as a foundational tool for airports preparing for evolving FAA frameworks. The system is intended to support future Part 108 and Part 146 readiness, which will govern expanded drone operations, while also building infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and autonomous freight logistics.

AirPro News analysis

We view the introduction of lightweight, single-receiver detection systems as a necessary step for the integration of uncrewed traffic into the national airspace system. General aviation airports often lack the capital for traditional radar installations. By leveraging existing ADS-B and Remote ID mandates, managed services like FlightHorizon ALERT provide a pragmatic bridge for smaller operators to maintain situational awareness as AAM and commercial drone flights increase in frequency.

Sources: Vigilant Aerospace Systems, Inc.