Estonia Moves Towards Machine-Readable Aeronautical Information
Estonia is soon stepping into a new era of digitalized aeronautical information, where traditional manually created urgent aviation notices, or NOTAMs, will begin to move in digital form and become machine-readable. The national air navigation service provider, Lennuliiklusteeninduse AS (EANS), is making preparations for this transition, having recently signed a cooperation agreement with the international technology company Frequentis.
According to Ivar Värk, CEO of Lennuliiklusteenindus (EANS), the digitalization of aeronautical information and more efficient information exchange will support the provision of a more modern and technologically advanced service. “We are moving towards a future where aeronautical information is transmitted automatically, accurately, and in a machine-readable format – allowing us to offer our clients and partners even faster and higher-quality service. To achieve this, we are adopting best practices in information technology.”
DigiNOTAM is part of the data-driven services known as SWIM (System Wide Information Management), which are becoming mandatory across European aviation. Essentially, SWIM facilitates the real-time exchange of aeronautical data – such as flight schedules, weather conditions, and airspace status – between various systems, ensuring unified, up-to-date, and easily accessible information for all stakeholders.
What Will Change?
“The traditional manually processed NOTAM approach will gradually be replaced by the digiNOTAM solution, where aviation-related information – such as taxiway or runway closures or temporary airspace changes – is transmitted as a structured data package directly into the system without manual intervention. Information will flow in real-time, reducing the risk of human error,” explained Kalmer Sütt, Head of the Aeronautical Information Department at EANS.
The technical development, supported by Frequentis, focuses on creating digiNOTAM scenarios – descriptions of typical events (such as maintenance of navigation equipment, creation and activation of restricted areas) in a specific data format. “By the end of 2025, Estonia must be ready to implement at least eight such scenarios. "The development is part of the international ACADIA project, which involves several European air navigation service providers and aims to harmonize digital aeronautical services across Europe,” Sütt added.
From Innovation to Standard
Starting January 1, 2026, digiNOTAM will become mandatory within the European Union, as one of the core services of SWIM. This means that aeronautical information must be available not as documents, but as a service – in real time, standardized, and machine-readable. During the transition period until 2032, the currently used traditional NOTAM transmission system will continue to run in parallel.
