The EU has approved a research project here as part of the development of a traffic management system for drones, or aerial unmanned traffic management.
The project will be coordinated by a European consortium coordinated by Future Mobility Campus Ireland in Shannon, and will develop what’s called a ‘digital sky demonstrator’ for the UTM system, leading one day to the deployment and optimisation of Europe’s unmanned flight ecosystem.
The three-year project involves Irish and European partners including Shannon Group, the Irish Aviation Authority, Collins Aerospace (Ireland and France), Dublin-based Avtrain, and Deepblue in Italy.
Work will be based at FMCI’s facilities at Shannon and will include a network of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) routes across Ireland.
Avtrain trains and certifies drone pilots and operators and is rated as one of the leading European organisations in the field.
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Chief executive Julie Garland said: “We are entering a new era of innovation, where the success of the industry will depend on the integration of unmanned aircraft into our airspace, rather than the segregation of airspace.
“We look forward to working with Collins Aerospace, FMCI, Shannon Group and our partners in the project to move the industry to the next level.”
The consortium received a three-year funding award from the EU’s SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking to develop unmanned aviation business opportunities in Ireland, and this will be used to build an end-to-end ecosystem that supports safe operation of unmanned flights.
FMCI chief executive Russell Vickers commented: “FMCI couldn’t be more pleased to be working with this consortium on the implementation of the EALU-AER programme.
“This will result in developing and building the critical infrastructure to allow advanced air mobility proliferate across Europe. It will secure access to airspace for large numbers of drones and eVTOL aircraft, resulting in safe, cost-effective and sustainable transport of freight and people in the future.”
Shannon Group chief executive Mary Considine added: “Shannon Group is delighted to partner on the EALU-AER project. Shannon Airport has been at the forefront of innovation over many decades, and it is essential that we help facilitate and participate in developing the new technology and processes that will allow unpiloted aviation to integrate with legacy airspace.”
FMCI has already worked with Skyports, Avtrain, Shannon Group and Federal Express to test freight delivery services using autonomous, beyond visual line of sight drone operations.
Collins Aerospace executive Boe Svatek stated: “This award will help us work with our partners in Ireland to create a new industry that supports safe and connected unmanned flight."
