Fast-track Extending U-space eco-system

Projects will: - Advance IR-6-02 CNS capabilities for U-space by delivering detect-and-avoid and collision-avoidance functions for UAS and performance-based communication and surveillance services leveraging mobile network infrastructures. - Extend the U-space ecosystem (IR-6-03) to support commercial aircraft, general aviation, crewed VCA and operations outside designated U-space airspace. - Demonstrate enhanced traffic situation awareness and operational safety for all airspace users (drones, GA, rotorcraft, crewed and uncrewed certified vehicles, ATC). - Validate low-cost, scalable CNS solutions for vertiports and regional airports, filling surveillance gaps and extending situational awareness to apron and gate areas. - Provide concrete U-space service concepts enabling integrated operations between drones and crewed VFR/IFR aircraft in defined geozones. - Investigate benefits of U-space services (traffic information and beyond) for certified aircraft, paving the way for wider U-space adoption and interoperability across civil and military domains.

Proposals must address one or more of the R&I elements below (non-prescriptive list), aligned with the European ATM Master Plan, and may include justified additional elements: 1. Use of public LTE/4G/5G networks for low-altitude CNS: define operational use cases; develop and validate onboard CNS equipment with integrated cellular modems; establish performance requirements; create reliability taxonomies and SORA integration; develop service-degradation procedures and alerting mechanisms; assess safety and stakeholder benefits; validate GA, rotorcraft and drone applications; build on PJ.14-02-05, FACT, NEWSENSE and ANTENNAE outputs. 2. Low-cost vertiport (and regional airport) CNS: assess mm-Wave radar with machine learning; evaluate 5G NR for positioning and line-of-sight detection; enhance ground augmentation for high-integrity autoland; develop high-resolution video surveillance; consider dual-use civil-military constraints; leverage New Sense and ANTENNAE. 3. CNS for U-space, UAS and military: 5G-based navigation in urban areas; novel small-target surveillance solutions (beyond ADS-B); define U-space communication infrastructure requirements; integrate Ground-to-Ground ATC-drone links; expand GNSS infrastructure (DFMC ABAS, GBAS, SBAS, RTK) without duplicating EDA efforts; integrate e-conspicuity solutions over 866 MHz or telecom networks. 4. Shared airspace integration: develop U-space service concepts for joint drone-crewed VFR (and optional IFR) operations in geographic zones (emergency response, event surveillance); define separation buffers, landmark-based operation areas, on-board pilot support, and in-flight replanning. 5. U-space services for certified aircraft: investigate traffic information and other U-space services’ benefits for GA, rotorcraft and certified drones; integrate cooperative and uncooperative surveillance sources; describe service usage and expected impact.