Context and overall objectives
This Fast Track project is a unique opportunity allowing the different stakeholders to approach in an agile way development and joint validation of needed IAM technologies and operations in real European environment. This will help the market bridge the famous “Valley of Death” in technology development, while it will bring a significant amount of insights that will be necessary for ensuring a safe introduction of the new IAM vehicles in all types of airspaces.
OperA project is developing the two SESAR solutions aiming to enable deployment of:
- Solution A: Manned eVTOL operations,
- Solution B: Unmanned eVTOL cargo operations.
For this purpose, the following 5 main project’s objectives have been set fully in line with Digital European Sky program:
1) Enable safe and efficient operations in all types of airspace (controlled, uncontrolled and U-space) and conditions by validating 3 different complex IAM (piloted Air Taxi and unmanned cargo) operations in real-life ATM conditions including contingency and non-nominal situations.
Three different use cases will be validated:
- Cross-border unmanned cargo between two airports or warehouses in adjacent countries
- Piloted Air taxi flights between two regional transportation hubs
- Piloted Air taxi transporting passengers from urban areas towards a major airport
Each of these IAM use cases will be operated in different parts of Europe.
2) Enable sustainable Innovative Air Mobility services by addressing Air/Ground integration and the critical transition steps from piloted towards automated flights for 5 key autonomy-enabling technologies and 2 ground infrastructure capabilities.
These technologies are:
- Airborne autonomy decision engine including Contingency Management
- Assisted Landing Trajectory Optimization
- Navigation for Pilot Supervised Approach and Landing / Navigation for Autoland
- Ground Control Station
- Detect and Avoid
3) Accelerate the deployment of Innovation Air Mobility by addressing necessary standardization, regulation, and roadmaps, in synchronization with the ongoing certification of the 3 involved European IAM vehicles.
4) Ensure environmental sustainability compared to the other available means of transport and enhance it by optimizing flight routing for minimum noise footprint and aircraft energy utilization.
5) Ensure social acceptance by targeted communication and dissemination activities.
Work performed and main achievements
RP1:
During the initial reporting period, the consortium dedicated concerted efforts to lay the groundwork for our collaborative venture. We established internal processes in line with agile methodology tailored to facilitate effective international cooperation. Recognizing the complexity of our endeavor, we dissected selected business cases, delving into detailed use cases and scenarios to ensure a comprehensive understanding of our objectives.
We defined operational assumptions and analyzed the operational environment. We focused on autonomy enabling technologies and UTM services maturation including requirements definition to progress toward achieving TRL7 maturity.
Moreover, our proactive engagement with regulatory bodies contributed to early identification of operational challenges. By integrating regulatory considerations into our project plans from the outset, we aimed to navigate potential obstacles and foster a conducive environment for progress.
Major outcome to our approach was the meticulous documentation of our endeavors in contractual deliverables which was shared with SJU in January 2024.
RP2:
During second reporting period, following progress was made towards main project’s objectives.
All three technical clusters continued in progressive refinements of their use cases and operational environment detailed definitions, as well as in development, integration, and initial validation steps for both developed solutions. Discussion with SJU experts, Advisory Board members as well as progress of parallel projects (e.g. EUREKA, IRINA) is also progressively incorporated. This evolution is currently reflected in working versions of contractual deliverables and related project-internal documents and will be concluded through final validation flights and in the final deliveries. (RP3).
Industry partners also significantly progressed with maturation, enhancements and initial validations of developed automation enablers. This included work on:
- Decision engine and Contingency management,
- Flight efficient trajectory management for approach,
- Navigation for pilot supervised Approach & Landing, and
- Ground Control Station.
Finally, a remarkable progress was achieved in development and maturity of Air/Ground integration between the ground-control station (GCS) and UTM-services, specifically concerning the Network Identification, Flight Authorization, U-Plan Processing, Procedural Interface with ATC and Geo-Awareness services. This integration was also evaluated and demonstrated in real environment through flight testing in Austria.
OperA project continuously utilizes and benefits from the C&D&E communication channels set up in the previous reporting period and share intermediate results in various dissemination and exploitation events for example through U-space Coordination Cell.
Results beyond the state of the art
RP1:
In initial reporting period, project defined operational environment and assumptions for future IAM operations. These will be further validated during validation exercises in 2025.
RP2:
Results of the work and achievements described above represents mostly an intermediate step towards further development and final project’s validations as well as performance evaluations (defined together with PEARL) which are planned in the next reporting period.
Policy relevant evidence of your project
RP1:
Project identified set of regulations and standards which are applicable for intended operations. They will be further explored and their applicability/adjustability will be validated in relation to intended business cases.
RP2:
Project contributes to following regulations, standards and working groups: EASA RMT.0230, EUROCAE WG-105 and WG-112, CATS WA2 and WA3 and relevant ICAO activities