European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Fast-track Enabling innovative air mobility (IAM) / Vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft (VCA) (crewed and uncrewed) operations
HORIZON-SESAR-2025-DES-IR-02-WA 6-3 – SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking Innovation Actions
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
16/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Fast-track Enabling innovative air mobility (IAM) / Vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft (VCA) (crewed and uncrewed) operations Call?
Grant Description
This Innovation Action call seeks to develop and validate technology and procedures at technology readiness level six for enabling integrated air mobility and VTOL capable aircraft operations in complex environments, including congested areas and vertiports. It covers vertiport management, flight planning with multiple safe landing options, cockpit and remote pilot automation, automatic take–off and landing, resilient navigation, energy management and advanced air traffic management automation. ...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
To significantly advance IR-6-04 “Enabling IAM/VTOL capable aircraft (crewed and uncrewed) operations, including in complex environments, congested areas and vertiports.” Specifically, fund innovative IAM operational procedures and automation to enable access to all airspace types and vertiports under VMC and IMC, including simplified vehicle operations, automatic take-off and landing, resilient navigation, energy management, and consideration of EASA’s general aviation i-conspicuity work.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
• Proposals must deliver a TRL 6 solution enabling deployment of crewed VFR VCAs and progress towards an IFR solution, including definition and validation of an FF-ICE flight plan acceptance process in coordination with WA 1 and WA 3 projects.
• Vertiport management for crewed VCAs per EC IR 2014/1111: specification in operational flight plans of at least two safe landing options and diversion sites; investigation of introducing landing sites in ATS flight plans for VFR and IFR; design and validation of booking and progressive release of contingency sites; legal liability framework if sites unavailable; case studies for (a) controlled airports outside U-space (including ATC reasonable assurance and safety-net adaptations) and (b) vertiports in controlled U-space (including DAR application and airspace sharing concepts).
• Vertiport management for vertiports in controlled (classes A-D) and uncontrolled (classes F-G) non-U-space airspace, and separation of small drones and VCAs in uncontrolled U-space.
• Advanced vertiport and VCA U-space service processes: determination/limitation of take-off and landing times; optimization of critical resource (TLOF) occupancy; collaborative decision making and coordination under battery-powered constraints.
• Development of an IFR crewed VCA concept based on SESAR solutions #113 and PJ.02-05: applicability of rotorcraft IFR procedures, adaptation for VCA energy constraints, development and validation of new clearances.
• Cockpit and remote-pilot automation: digital ATM communications via CPDLC in all flight phases; pilot digital assistance to reduce VCA crew workload; enable one remote pilot to oversee two or more VCAs.
• Automatic take-off and landing (ATOL): development of resilient navigation solutions and procedures for all-weather TOL; progression from flight-director to autopilot-based ATOL; chart, procedure and avionics design.
• ATC and FIS automation support for VFR and IFR: new FF-ICE-like flight plan standard for VFR; ATC ground-system enhancements for VFR/IFR transitions; AI/ML for VFR traffic forecasting; methods for trajectory downlink via SWIM; automated digital traffic information provision; safe wake-turbulence separation assessment beyond EASA Prototype Specification.
• Vertiport management for crewed VCAs per EC IR 2014/1111: specification in operational flight plans of at least two safe landing options and diversion sites; investigation of introducing landing sites in ATS flight plans for VFR and IFR; design and validation of booking and progressive release of contingency sites; legal liability framework if sites unavailable; case studies for (a) controlled airports outside U-space (including ATC reasonable assurance and safety-net adaptations) and (b) vertiports in controlled U-space (including DAR application and airspace sharing concepts).
• Vertiport management for vertiports in controlled (classes A-D) and uncontrolled (classes F-G) non-U-space airspace, and separation of small drones and VCAs in uncontrolled U-space.
• Advanced vertiport and VCA U-space service processes: determination/limitation of take-off and landing times; optimization of critical resource (TLOF) occupancy; collaborative decision making and coordination under battery-powered constraints.
• Development of an IFR crewed VCA concept based on SESAR solutions #113 and PJ.02-05: applicability of rotorcraft IFR procedures, adaptation for VCA energy constraints, development and validation of new clearances.
• Cockpit and remote-pilot automation: digital ATM communications via CPDLC in all flight phases; pilot digital assistance to reduce VCA crew workload; enable one remote pilot to oversee two or more VCAs.
• Automatic take-off and landing (ATOL): development of resilient navigation solutions and procedures for all-weather TOL; progression from flight-director to autopilot-based ATOL; chart, procedure and avionics design.
• ATC and FIS automation support for VFR and IFR: new FF-ICE-like flight plan standard for VFR; ATC ground-system enhancements for VFR/IFR transitions; AI/ML for VFR traffic forecasting; methods for trajectory downlink via SWIM; automated digital traffic information provision; safe wake-turbulence separation assessment beyond EASA Prototype Specification.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• This is a single-stage Horizon JU Innovation Action under a lump-sum HORIZON-AG-LS Model Grant Agreement; eligible costs defined as lump sums; funding rate 70% for all beneficiaries.
• Maximum project duration: 36 months.
• Participants must comply with network protection restrictions and eligible country rules per Horizon Europe General Annexes; non-EU participants may be funded if provisions exist.
• Additional dissemination obligations: proactive, royalty-free sharing of all relevant results with other grants awarded under the same call; must include measures in the proposal and Grant Agreement Annex I.
• Additional exploitation obligations: make results available for reuse under fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) conditions via a trusted repository; royalty-free, non-exclusive licensing of results for standardisation purposes; ensure mutual access to background and results of linked actions when necessary.
• Linked actions: collaboration agreement required with projects funded under HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01 and HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-ER-01.
• Gender dimension integration is encouraged but not mandatory.
• Evaluation criteria weighting: Excellence 40%, Impact 40%, Implementation 20%; the evaluation committee may include EU institution representatives; balanced portfolio funding across topics.
• Maximum project duration: 36 months.
• Participants must comply with network protection restrictions and eligible country rules per Horizon Europe General Annexes; non-EU participants may be funded if provisions exist.
• Additional dissemination obligations: proactive, royalty-free sharing of all relevant results with other grants awarded under the same call; must include measures in the proposal and Grant Agreement Annex I.
• Additional exploitation obligations: make results available for reuse under fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) conditions via a trusted repository; royalty-free, non-exclusive licensing of results for standardisation purposes; ensure mutual access to background and results of linked actions when necessary.
• Linked actions: collaboration agreement required with projects funded under HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01 and HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-ER-01.
• Gender dimension integration is encouraged but not mandatory.
• Evaluation criteria weighting: Excellence 40%, Impact 40%, Implementation 20%; the evaluation committee may include EU institution representatives; balanced portfolio funding across topics.
Important dates
Open from: 01/04/2025
Deadline:16/09/2025
Application period has ended
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