Unifly trials drone integration into European airspace

Unifly, a subsidiary of Japan’s Terra Drone Corp., is participating in an initiative to research the safe coexistence of crewed and uncrewed aircraft in European airspace. “Traditional air traffic management systems are not designed to accommodate drones, especially in low-altitude airspace,” a Unifly spokesperson told Cargo Facts . “Drones need to operate safely alongside manned aircraft, which requires seamless integration with existing systems. The lack of unified standards for drone operations complicates this integration.” [caption id="attachment_57150496" align="aligncenter" width="646"] (Courtesy/Unifly)[/caption] Antwerp, Belgium-based Unifly, which was acquired by Terra Drone in 2023, specializes in uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) traffic management solutions. Ensuring safe shared airspace The project, Ensure, is led by Brussels-based Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) 3 Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership established in 2021 to drive research into and development of a “digital European sky,” according to SESAR. Ensure aims to integrate traditional air traffic management (ATM) systems with U-space, a traffic control system developed by EASA to manage uncrewed aircraft traffic in European airspace. Ensure, which continues through May 31, 2026, aims to: Standardize data exchange and communication protocols between U-space and ATM systems; Enhance situational awareness for air traffic controllers and U-space service providers; Implement and validate dynamic airspace reconfiguration (DAR) methods to enable real-time airspace management; and Address regulatory and safety requirements for integration of drone operations into controlled airspace. Through simulations and test flights, Unifly will develop and test U-space services that enable real-time coordination between drone and traditional air traffic management, Unifly said. It also plans to ensure compliance with European regulations and validate DAR systems. Unifly will work on Ensure with companies across Europe, including: Spanish aviation technology solutions company Indra, taking the lead; Airbus ; The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, commonly called Eurocontrol; and Italian air traffic control agency ENAV. Barriers to UAS in European airspace Several barriers are delaying the integration of drones into European airspace, such as airspace congestion and insufficient communication infrastructure. “Traditional ATM systems are not designed to handle the volume and types of movements drones introduce, particularly in crowded airspaces,” a Unifly spokesperson said. “Real-time coordination requires robust and secure communication networks. Current air traffic communication systems are not optimized for the high-frequency, low-latency communication that drones require for safe navigation and coordination.” As for safety, drones — especially those flying autonomously or BVLOS — require advanced collision-avoidance systems, according to Unifly. The more drones there are in the air, the more vital this becomes. Also, as drones become more integrated into ATM systems, the risk of cyberattacks increases. To overcome these roadblocks, countries, drone operators and air traffic control agencies must aligned their regulations and data-sharing standards . “Different countries have varying regulations for drones, which can create challenges for international coordination,” the spokesperson said. “Harmonizing these rules globally is difficult, particularly when it comes to cross-border drone flights and compliance with traditional airspace rules. “Real-time coordination requires efficient data exchange between drones, operators and air traffic control,” the company said. Dynamic airspace reconfiguration A key step in solving these issues is DAR, as traditional airspace needs to restructure protocols to handle drone operations, especially in crowded areas or emergency situations, Unifly said. According to Unifly, DAR benefits include: Flexibility in airspace management, since DAR allows for real-time adjustments to the airspace layout; Enhanced efficiency by optimizing airspace usage and reducing delays; and Better risk management, because DAR helps mitigate congestion by reallocating airspace for different types of air traffic, thus improving safety, particularly in situations when crewed and uncrewed aircraft intersect. Register now for Cargo Facts EMEA, an essential regional event for industry stakeholders, on May 6-8 at the Shangri-La Bosphorus in Turkey.

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