Safe integration of different cathegories of unmanned and manned aircraft

Important results from the project

The development of advanced airspace mobility in Europe occurs in stages, from U1 to U4 (see U-space ConOps 4ed). The challenges we studied belong to steps U3-4. In a study with participants from Sweden and Brazil, we designed and evaluated key situations in urban and coastal scenarios that have great similarities to areas in Sweden. The challenge is that drones will need to meet civil aviation safety requirements in order to safely fly in the airspace alongside manned aircraft. The aim was to study this and investigate what is required in terms of technology and operational procedures.

Expected long term effects

The project resulted in an interactive visualization and simulation of five main scenarios in a contiguous geographical area in Brazil. It covers coastal situations with mixed autonomous and manned traffic in search and rescue, traffic in cities, and traffic near airports. Our conclusion is that the situations require the design of new technologies and new operational concepts to separate traffic safely. Today´s air traffic management (ATM) and unmanned traffic management (UTM) systems are not sufficient. The problems that need to be solved belong to U3-U4´s step in development.

Approach and implementation

The methodology in the project has been to simulate and visualize, and then discuss, an expected development for unmanned traffic and traditional aviation. The simulation consisted of traffic of various types and regulatory areas in the airspace. We designed scenarios in an airspace together with experts in Brazil. They were modeled in an interactive visualization and simulation. The model was then discussed, through simulation and visualization, with expert groups in a workshop in Brazil. The themes discussed have been documented, which helps to make the results transferable.