Unifly, a group company of Terra Drone Corp, and a leader in Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) solutions, announced this week the successful completion of the CORUS-XUAM project, “a collaborative effort that has reshaped the landscape of Urban Air Mobility (UAM),” reports a press release. This groundbreaking initiative signifies a pivotal milestone in ensuring the safe and efficient integration of UAM operations by extending the current U‑space Concept of Operations (CONOPS).
The project received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking (JU). The JU receives support from the EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program.
The release explains, “Six major demonstrations in Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Sweden, validated the integrated operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and eVTOL aircraft alongside manned aircraft operations for diverse mission types such as passenger transport, logistics, delivery, emergency response, and surveillance.”
It goes on, “These demos showcased advanced forms of interaction through digital data exchange supported by integrated and advanced U‑space services in various scenarios, including urban, suburban, and inter-city settings, as well as areas in and near Air Traffic Management (ATM) controlled airspaces and airports.”
The Demonstration Areas in Europe (Credit: Unifly)
The Belgian trial, for example, centred around the Antwerp port area near controlled airspace, aimed at developing guidelines for safe UAM operations at ports and other critical infrastructure sites. Unifly’s UTM platform served “as a key solution in tackling challenges such as situational awareness, and flight authorisations while enabling the crucial scalability for Urban Air Mobility operations,” continues the release.
Andres Van Swalm, CEO of Unifly, remarked, “This accomplishment highlights our commitment to pushing the frontiers of innovation in UTM and UAM. The outcomes of the CORUS-XUAM project play a crucial role in influencing the future of urban air mobility and marks an important milestone for Unifly.”
The results, assisted by consultation with stakeholders, were used to consolidate the CONOPS which serve as a reference manual for U‑space by addressing UAM needs and regulatory evolution from other R&D projects.
Building on the success of the CORUS-XUAM project, other SESAR JU programs are using the results, while continuing to research and test. As the integration of U‑space advances, the airspace above urban centres is poised to evolve into a hub of innovation, reshaping modes of transportation and unlocking many possibilities for more interconnection.
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