European project on innovative air mobility takes off

BRNO, Czech Republic, April 18, 2023 - A European-funded consortium led by Honeywell has got underway that will enable the safe accommodation of Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) in European Air Traffic Management (ATM) and U-space, a geographical zone designated by Member States, where unmanned aircraft system operations are only allowed to take place with the support of U-space services relying on digital services and automation of functions designed to support safe, secure and efficient access. The consortium will develop and validate two IAM solutions addressing the ecosystem of manned air-taxi and unmanned cargo cross-border operations.

IAM is a new air transportation system for passengers and cargo, enabled by new technologies and integrated into multimodal transportation systems. The European Commission's initiative for safe and secure integration of drones and other autonomous aircraft into our airspace, namely U-Space, will play a key-role in enabling Innovative Air Mobility, which is expected to advance autonomous technologies in a number of areas.

Co-funded by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking within the framework of the Horizon Europe and the Digital European Sky, the OperA (Operate Anywhere) project involves a three-year multidisciplinary collaboration between 15 value chain partners (including 4 affiliates) from 11 European countries covering the whole ecosystem for IAM aircraft. Led by Honeywell (CZ), consortium partners include Aena (ES), Enaire (ES), CRIDA (ES), Eurocontrol (BE), Frequentis (AT), Frequentis Solutions & Services (SK), Frequentis Romania (RO), skyzr (AT), Latvijas gais satiksme (LV), Lilium (DE), Pipistrel Vertical Solutions (SI), Skyports Infrastructure Limited (UK), AKCINĖ BENDROVĖ ORO NAVIGACIJA (LT), Vertical Aerospace (UK), and Nordic Unmanned (NO).

The project represents a unique opportunity to jointly develop and validate the needed IAM operations, airborne and on-ground technology enablers, in different classes of airspace within real European environments, with a focus on standardisation, regulation and roadmaps that will unlock affordable and flexible uptake of U-space and Innovative Air Mobility in Europe.

"Honeywell is excited to work on projects that will bring higher levels of automation in aviation. OperA will look at the concept of operations for air taxi and cargo VTOL-capable aircraft in all types of airspace, utilising automation and autonomous technologies to accelerate the uptake and deployment of these types of aircraft", said Jolana Dvorska, Principal Research and Development Engineer and Architect for SESAR, Honeywell Aerospace. "We look forward to working with consortium members on Digital European Sky projects that enable the advancement and adoption of innovative air mobility aircraft in all types of airspace across Europe and beyond."

Work on OperA will be performed at project-partner sites across Europe, including the Honeywell Technology Solutions research and development centre in Brno, Czech Republic, with the three IAM use cases operated in at least four European countries: Lithuania-Latvia, Spain, Denmark/ Norway and UK.

The SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking is an institutionalised European partnership between private and public sector partners set up to accelerate through research and innovation the delivery of the Digital European Sky. To do so, it is harnessing, developing and accelerating the take-up of the most cutting-edge technological solutions to manage conventional aircraft, drones, air taxis and vehicles flying at higher altitudes. The OperA project has been selected to receive funding of almost seven mio € from the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking within the framework of the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme after having received an excellent score by the selection committee.

For more information about OperA and its mission, visit www.sesarju.eu/projects/OperA.